The Social Ladder
by Chichiri4488
Summary: Senior year. Your best friend is also your crush. A possessive moron on your tail. Pranks, music and friends. Welcome to my life, say Hi. AU - InuKag MirSan
1. Prologue

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer: I once owned a cookie, then I ate that cookie.... so I don't own anything. Inuyasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi, the brilliant mastermind of anime.  
  
Alert: This whole story is from Kagome's point of view! Enjoy, although there will be OOC guaranteed!  
  
Prologue ~ Past, Present and Future ~  
  
You now how when you first hear that sound of your alarm go off. you just kind of roll over and hit the snooze button. Then instead of going back to sleep, you just kind of lay there looking at the clock till you know that you have to get up. Maybe that's just me.  
  
My name is Kagome Higurashi, a senior at Teragatsu High. I'm part of the "loser" group too. There're the jocks and preps, followed by just about everybody else, down to the nerds and geeks, while I'm at the very bottom of the 'social ladder'. Why you ask, well... I don't want anything to do with the jocs or preps :P  
  
A few pranks here and there on those popular people ^-^  
  
According to them, I'm too much a freak to be a part of the social  
ladder.  
  
Go figure.  
  
The prank part is true though. A few pranks on Miss Cheerleading team captain a.k.a Kikyo, a.k.a "I'm a little stuck up snobby-... Well, we wont go there. Some people actually think I look like her. The very thought makes me want to hurl.  
  
Anyway, the thing is with the pranks, I teamed up with Shippo; we made the football players scream like girls with red dye for an affect of a bloody shower and a few masks around the locker room right close to Halloween time.. I know, not the best prank, but it sure gave us something to laugh about for a while. Or the time we had the science pets invade the cheerleader's locker room. Snakes in the lockers, frogs in the showers, lizards on the walls, and rabbits in the gym during practice. The best part of a prank is to not get caught. Oh sure you can get accused, but hey my dad was a lawyer, I'm innocent till proven guilty.  
  
Now, here's who is at the bottom or off the social ladder. There's Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and myself.  
  
Inuyasha has been my best friend since we were in diapers. He and my mom are great friends so we've known each other for a long time. He's cool. Sometimes a little rude or arrogant, but I know he's a complete softie otherwise. He's always been there for me, especially the hard time of when my dad died. I can tell when he's serious or just playing around. I have to tell you now; he's awesome on guitar and has a really high IQ. His reason for being with us, he had a birth defect for some strange/cool dog-ears. Awesome and cute ears in my opinion with his silver/white hair, but strange and mutant-like to everyone else.  
  
Sango is cool. No better than that, she's awesome! She does awesome keyboarding affects and is a technology genius. She does piano and keyboard, not to mention a lot of martial arts. Her family owns a small dojo as well as the other jobs. Her dad is a computer tech. At a big company, while her mom usually runs the dojo till her dad gets back. Yeah, I think you get the picture. Just don't mess with her, you will regret it. Sango is another one of my good best friends. I'm as close to her as I am Inuyasha as a friend.  
  
Miroku is a really cool guy. He just has... "interesting issues",..? Yeah that'll work for now.. He's kind of a pervert. Yet still a really good friend to depend on and go to for the serious advice. He reminds of a wise monk or something. Well he does drums and is by far one of the best drummers I've ever heard.  
  
Shippo! The cutest senior around! He's 15, but his high IQ got him to got to a senior. They say he could've graduated college by now already, but they didn't want him to miss out on the opportunities and life moments of high school. Shippo is kind of short, but an awesome bass guitar and the king of pranks. He leaves no evidence yet to be found, and still watches them as they happen, well enough to include his 'work' in the school paper every week... ^-^  
  
Now there's me.. well I play electric guitar, and a bit of acoustic as well. Love music, other than rap, and country, everything else is pretty good. Rock is very good though; I love rock. Mostly kind of old rock, but it's still really good. I sing too. I'm pretty smart, Not like Shippo, but close enough to Inuyasha, as I'll get. Hey if it's an A, then I'm just peachy with it. ^-^ I'm not a girly-girl at all. I wear t-shirts and jeans. Light makeup, unlike some teens with an extra 5 layers of 'skin' of just thick make-up. "**cough- Kikyo-cough**"  
  
The information you have received adds up to what.....?  
  
We have a band.  
  
And.....  
  
We don't exist according to everyone else. Not even nerds or geeks who were counted as scum of the earth would look at us.  
  
Then he came. And I hated him for what he did......  
  
Chichiri4488: Hey there. I'm just trying a new idea to see what people think. I hope you like it. I wasn't too sure. I hope you did like it, and even if you didn't, please listen (read) very carefully.  
  
Now here's what you do for another chapter:  
  
Click the Button! Make a review! Wait with patience! The more reviews, the faster I type! ^-^  
  
Go on!  
  
GO!  
  
Click it already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Fine...... Treats for those who review! ^__________^ PLEASE! 


	2. Life of the Loser

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Chapter 1 ~ Life of the Loser ~  
  
I sat up in bed and looked around my room. Yup, walls of anime, and band posters, with a bulletin board full of pictures of friends and family. Different stuffed animals mixed with everything else in the room. Not really a single theme, just a bunch of stuff thrown together to create the full effect of a teen's room. The best part was. it was the coldest room in the house! ^_________________^ Cold is very, very nice.  
  
I looked at the clock, and groaned. It was 5:30 am, school started at 7:30. That explains why it's still dark outside...Crap. Oh well, nothing like an early start, for the first day of school. Oh Joy.  
  
Dressing in the regular t-shirt and jeans I left the house in my Beautiful car of blue. Although Inuyasha and Miroku like to poke fun by calling it the 'Ancient civilization on wheels.' Well, that didn't last long after I get them to help fix it up with new stuff. Cheap stuff, but good stuff nonetheless. It's a 1998 Mustang Convertible. I picked it up at the junkyard honestly; it looked like crud till we fixed it up.  
  
I head out for school and got into the good senior parking. I got the spot that's really close to the exit and close to the school for a quick get away home, or wherever it is we decide to go after school.  
  
I walked into the large building and into the courtyard where I saw, guess who? Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippo. School wouldn't start for another 20 minutes, so only a few teachers and other students were there.  
  
"Your Late" called Inuyasha with a grin to me. I flashed him a grin and rolled my eyes while I sat next to Sango on the stairs.  
  
"It's to be expected if I go sleep deprived." I replied dryly.  
  
"So, any ideas for pranks?" asked Shippo.  
  
"School hasn't even started; can't we wait till 2nd period for this Shippo- chan?"  
  
"No chance! I want this on the front page of the school paper. Something not too big, but not as small as blowing up the tuna casserole in lunch last year. At least I think it was tuna..?"  
  
"This is why I actually bring a lunch."  
  
"So what are your classes Kag-chan?"  
  
I pulled out my 'handy-dandy schedule' and started reading off. "First I have Drawing 3, then Anatomy, Calculus, Literature 3, English 3, and World Government. Yippee. How about you Miroku-san?"  
  
(AN: They are in Japan, so English 3 is a language class to learn the language. Ok? Are you with me? Good good. If you're confused I will explain at the bottom. )  
  
"Chemistry, Literature 3, Weight lifting, Calculus, Psychology, and World Government. Sango?"  
  
"I have Chemistry, Computer Graphing, Calculus, English 3, Business Technology, and World Government. Shippo?"  
  
"Drawing 3, Literature 3, Physics, Philosophy, Trigonometry 2, World Government. Inuyasha?"  
  
"Business Tech., Anatomy, Weight Lifting, English 3, Trigonometry 2, World Government. Sounds like a fun filled day." said Inuyasha dryly.  
  
"At least I have you guys throughout the day, there's Shippo in 1st, Inuyasha in my second, then Sango in third, oh I'm on my own in 4th and 5th, and were all together for 6th."  
  
"Sounds good to me." Said Sango.  
  
"What are the plans for after school and stuff?"  
  
"Nothing but clear skies for me. Homework isn't even out yet!"  
  
"Yet being the key word there Shippo."  
  
"Any new jocks to pull some pranks on?" asked Shippo with the dangerous glint in his eye.  
  
"I heard there was this new guy in school for the track team. Supposed to be really fast too." Said Sango.  
  
"What new guy?"  
  
"Some new guy from New York. He sounds like one of the pretty boy jock types. Otherwise I haven't heard much."  
  
"Where did you get this? It's only the first day back." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"Kikyo was raving about him at orientation. Remember?"  
  
"Oh! The American boy! I heard he does football and basketball." Said Miroku.  
  
"Football, basketball, and track! Maybe he flies and lifts buildings too!" said Shippo, every word dripping in sarcasm.  
  
*Ring*  
  
***sigh***  
  
"Ja ne people." I said.  
  
"Ja Kagome-chan!"  
  
"Ja Shippo. Sayonara Kag." Said Inuyasha as Shippo and I started to walk off towards class.  
  
"Come on Shippo, it's time for drawing." I said.  
  
"Aw! I wanted to do finger-painting!"  
  
"Move it or no sugar at lunch."  
  
"NO! That's my sugar and you're not getting it! I need it as inspiration during an energy boost for plans!"  
  
"Then move it. I don't want to be late. If we have art with Jakken again, I swear I'll rip something in half."  
  
"As long as I'm not in the path of your destruction, then it doesn't bother me if you do."  
  
They came into the large classroom and sat up front at the desks waving at Jakotsu-sensei, the art teacher. He was gay and didn't mind telling you. Sometimes he freaked me out a bit, but all in all he was a good teacher and a funny guy. Actually he was also the cheerleading coach.  
  
"How have two of my best artists been over the summer?"  
  
"Peachy keen!" I replied. (AN: I love that phrase!)  
  
"Peachy for me too, but a little orange in some cases."  
  
"Oh Shippo, you crack me up! Ha ha ha, such a cute child really."  
  
"Kagome, I think art class will scar me for life if it hasn't already." Shippo whispered as their teacher started writing on the chalkboard.  
  
*Ring*  
  
"In your seats ya'll get into 'em. Now a lot of you I had last year and the year before so by now in the 3rd level of drawing, I take it you all now how do a sketch? Good good. For today since ya'll think those name games and meeting each other is so dull, you just need to get a sketch complete of any animal of your choice."  
  
Dragons are my best forms of artwork yet! Mythical creatures are still creatures right?  
  
'Yes!' I thought.  
  
"But the animals have to exist on the earth today."  
  
'No!'  
  
I think teachers can read minds. you have something all planned out and then they say what you can or can't do. Like for a paper, it has be 3 pages, right? So I think, cool if I need to I can just make the font a little bigger? Then 'oh by the way it has to be this font, this size, this blah, and so on.'  
  
I grabbed the sketch paper and thought of what I could do. Shippo was already away at a fox drinking from a stream.  
  
'What to do, what to do. Cat? No. Fish? Boring. Dog? Too easy. Tiger? Maybe, wait we can make this interesting.. No, lost the idea. I hate senior moments when your young.. Crap crap crap. Oh well. I'm lazy so a dolphin works.'  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I headed down the VERY crowded hallways towards Anatomy, which just happened to be on the other side of the school. How lucky for me. This isn't exactly one of the small schools either; it's pretty big, but not humungous. Yeah I think you get the idea.  
  
I walked in to the class. There was a seat next to Inuyasha open or I could sit in the sink as all the desks fit two people. What a hard decision. I sat down at guess where?  
  
*Ring*  
  
"Hey Kag-chan."  
  
"Ohayo Inu-kun."  
  
"Remember the new guy?"  
  
"Hai. Why?"  
  
"He's a stuck up piece of crap in my 1st period. I think he's in our 6th as well. Named Kaga, Kodo or something like that."  
  
"Great."  
  
"What lunch shift are you? Miroku, Sango and I have B lunch."  
  
"B. I think Shippo does too. That's the one right after 4th right?"  
  
"Very good Kagome! You know the lunch schedule!"  
  
"Yes I do, you should be very proud of me Inu-kun."  
  
"Oh I am Kag, I really am."  
  
"Do you know the room number for band? I think they switched to a new room again, their percussion group apparently needs a room to themselves."  
  
(AN: this happened at my school. Our Orchestra has to play in the keyboarding room because percussion takes up the orchestra room! It's very sad really)  
  
"I don't know the room numbers I follow the signs to get around school half the time!"  
  
It's true actually. I'm one of the people who have practically no sense of direction whatsoever. I always just follow someone, friend, foe, crowd, anything works really. This is awesome cause they actually have signs of where things are! How cool is that! Actually I think those are mostly for freshman but who cares.  
  
"Settle down class. Settle down. I don't feel like talking over you today. Welcome to Anatomy. This is one the harder classes in the school and I do hope you enjoy what I have prepared. We will cover the human body; later even do some forensic activities. My name is Kaede-sensei; I will be here all year. Now can anyone name a system of the body?"  
  
"Skeletal."  
  
"Respiratory."  
  
"Digestive."  
  
"Circulatory."  
  
"Very good. Now you will be needing a lot of paper for this class as well as a three ring binder."  
  
This is the part of class I think we all like to tune out on. The part where you know what's going on but it's too boring too stay in focus and you just kind of sit there thinking about all the different things running around your head. Yeah that's as good as it gets for 2nd period.  
  
*Ring*  
  
"Ja Kagome. See you at lunch."  
  
"Ja Inuyasha."  
  
'Why math, why did it have to be math.' I thought walking up the stairway to Onigumo-sensei's room. 'At least there's Sango.'  
  
Onigumo was the creepiest teacher known to me in the whole school. Cruel and unusual while he looked at you with cold eyes like you were the scum of the earth. Which in many opinions we were anyway. He seemed old. His hair was graying a bit, and he had a few small wrinkles on his brow from scowling at people all day. A lot of people called him "old spider head" behind his back, unless you were a suck up and wanted lots of extra credit, he was a teacher that liked and rewarded the little teacher pets.  
  
His nephew was the star playing quarterback on the football team named Naraku. Our mascot is actually a monkey. Not even a specific monkey, just the principal picked a monkey when the school was opened 6 years ago. A monkey, doesn't that strike fear in your hearts? Oh well we win most of the games anyway, 3rd place in the Tokyo district.  
  
I sat down towards the back by a window looking at a sakura tree in the courtyard. I don't know how long I had been sitting there, but apparently long enough to space out, not hear Sango call my name 3 times AND hit me on the shoulder to finally grasp a firm hold on my short attention span.  
  
"Itai! Sango-chan that hurt." I said with a small grin for sarcasm.  
  
"Spider-heads coming in so get ready to take notes and stuff."  
  
"How did we get him again exactly?"  
  
"Well, maybe he just loves us so much from the past 2 years with him it was just unbearable for him to leave us." Said Sango, she looked at me and I gave her my best, yeah-right-lets-expect-nothing-better-than-a-B-this-year look. This is all we ever got in this class since he apparently disliked us with a strong passion. **cough-hated-us-cough**  
  
"Or we actually got landed in the class with Naraku and Kikyo again."  
  
"Oh Crap!! Please tell me you're joking." One look at her face told me she wasn't. Yup, there was Naraku and Kikyo sitting and talking on the other side of the room. The couple glanced our way with looks of disgust and then Naraku grinned one of those evil sinister smiles that only some people can do that actually look seriously menacing. I hate those, especially if he's doing them. It will either something really bad is going to happen, or something really, really bad is going to happen to you. Not the best odds really.  
  
"This sucks."  
  
"I couldn't agree more."  
  
"How was anatomy?"  
  
"Good, till the rules and regulations part. I kind of tuned out though. Inuyasha said the new guy is probably in our Government class. Also supposed to be a pure jock too."  
  
"This seems just peachy keen."  
  
"That's my phrase Sango-chan!"  
  
"Alright you little vermin; shut up so we can start the wonderful world of Calculus!"  
  
'The WONDERFUL world of calculus? Ok I think this guy was dropped on his head as a baby or something.' I thought.  
  
"Get to it. There's work to be done and notes to take. It's your choice to fail and I couldn't care less as long as I don't have you again. Higurashi! Tamado! Why are you here?" Sango and I both stood quickly.  
  
"We were scheduled here sensei, that's usually how they do things." I said.  
  
"Shut your mouths and sit down."  
  
We sat down while my brain kept up the thought 'It's gonna be a long year.' while I copied down notes from his lecture.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I pulled into my desk at 4th period for literature and I was tired. The school day's sleep depriving enough without 'Old Spider Head' doing his stupid lecture on the... on...well whatever he was talking about that made no sense. It's when you have a teacher like him that makes you very glad for smart friends like Inuyasha and Shippo.  
  
This class was Kazumi-sensei's. Yippee. For once a teacher I had never really heard of.  
  
*Ring*  
  
"Alrighty then. How many of you have heard rules after rules all day?" Everybody's hand goes up. "Ok short and sweet for what I'm supposed to cover. Don't smoke in school and you have lunch after this. Ok then, moving on, we are going to start the year off with some poetry, mostly around music and song lyrics and we will write stories and stuff like that. The usual rules for a classroom appear here. Go ahead the rest is free period."  
  
I got to sit and read my book for awhile! I think I'm going to like this class.  
  
"Hey pretty, my names Koga from New York. Are you interested in becoming my girlfriend?"  
  
Then again maybe not.  
  
"You're a beautiful girl, and I'm highly interested."  
  
He just had to be sitting behind me.  
  
"Fascinating how we get to have a class together, it must be fate my little angel."  
  
This would be a very, very long year.  
  
"I think I've heard about you; with that loser dog-boy right? Yeah well that can change. Be my girl and you'll be quite popular."  
  
Ok, my last nerve is about to pop. Speak now or forever hit him right down to meet with Hades. Actually the latter sounds really nice, but being expelled doesn't.  
  
"Listen up Mr. Sports-star, I want nothing to do with you or the people you hang around or get this crappy attitude from, so buzz off before I hit you so hard you cant pick up a football much less walk part of the track field."  
  
Not one of better comebacks but oh well.  
  
"I like your spunk, don't worry you'll be mine soon."  
  
"I could hurl."  
  
"How about a kiss instead?"  
  
Yeah definitely gonna hurl.  
  
"Or better yet; come with me to homecoming. It'll be off the heezy!"  
  
Heezy?  
  
"Come on, there's lots of fun stuff we could do at Homecoming. It would be fun come on, after all I'm claiming you as mine."  
  
I hate that grin! Koga's grin is just plain creepy, it's like a wolf hunting down his prey or something.  
  
*Ring*  
  
Praises! I'm out of here to where the semi-sane people are in lunch!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I sat down sipping on my Coke while we all ate our lunches and discussed the day.  
  
"Hey Shippo?"  
  
"Yeah Kag?"  
  
"Do you still want to do a big prank?"  
  
Now I had his full attention, as well as everyone else at the table.  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"What's the idea Kagome-chan?" said Sango. Inuyasha gave me a strange look, as did Miroku wondering what I was thinking.  
  
"What do you all think about going to Homecoming this year?"  
  
"Kag, we never go to Homecoming. Why would we go this year?"  
  
Shippo's smile was huge. "Kag-chan, you are a genius!!"  
  
"Well thank you Shippo-chan."  
  
"Kagome-chan, why do you want to go to homecoming?"  
  
"Were going to trash it."  
  
Chichiri4488:  
  
Good, bad, horrible, strange? All of the above? Well I hoped you liked it. I thought the prologue might have been bad since I only got one review!  
  
Thank you very much to.  
  
bebop-miroku! Cookies for you for reviewing!  
  
For the confused people: Them taking an English class is like us taking a Spanish or French class to learn another language. Learning English is required to a lot of students. K then. If your still confused I'll email you or something. Just let me know in the review. For those of you who understand, cookies for you!  
  
Now I changed the summary to give a bit more information and now I have 2 chapters up, so I sincerely hope that means I can count on more reviews and readers!  
  
Right?  
  
**crickets chirp**  
  
-_-;;; Fine then.  
  
^_____________^ Please! Click the little button! It wants to be pushed! 


	3. Plans, Pranks and Cruising the Mall

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
~Plans, Pranks and Cruising the Mall~  
  
"Define 'trash it' please."  
  
"How many pranks can Shippo do in one night?"  
  
"To multiple jocks and preps? Lets see, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5......" started Miroku.  
  
"So what are we going to do exactly?" asked Sango.  
  
"Whatever wonderfully evil little things we can do to them all." Said Kagome.  
  
"Kag, why?"  
  
"What do you mean Inuyasha?"  
  
"Kag. I've known you for the longest time. What did that new guy do to you!?"  
  
"I've known you to long Inuyasha. **sigh** He wants me to be his girlfriend and become popular! Please save me Inu-kun!"  
  
"Kagome. Calm down. People have tried it before; no one can do anything to you. Besides best friends till the end! Were all here by your side, right guys?"  
  
"Right." Said Sango.  
  
"...and we could do this...then pour that... Ha ha ha..."  
  
Great. Shippo was mumbling to himself. Again....  
  
"...76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81..." Miroku must practice, I get to 55, and then I'm ready to quit thinking of everything Shippo could do.  
  
"RIGHT GUYS??"  
  
"What?"  
  
"huh?"  
  
"Yeah! Of course!" they said in unison.  
  
"What are they talking about" mumbled Shippo to Miroku.  
  
"I have no idea... just go with it."  
  
"Then the both of you are paying at the mall after school?"  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Shippo. Miroku. You both really need to learn to listen better..." Said Sango.  
  
"Hai. Hai." I Said. Inuyasha hid behind me for the lunch period while Shippo and Miroku sent him dirty looks.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
'Please don't let him be in my 5th period, please don't let him be in my 5th period, please don't let him be in my 5th period, please don't let him be in my 5th period' I thought walking towards English 3.  
  
"Welcome to English!"  
  
"Konnichiwa!" I said.  
  
"Kagome. Shame. You should use proper English now." She said with a grin.  
  
"It's not class just yet Sensei-Patterson!" I said grinning right back.  
  
No sightings of Kouga. All right this could be all right after all. Oh wait, if Inuyasha is correct then he's in my 6th. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crud. Crud. Crud. Please let Inuyasha be wrong for once!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Inuyasha is never wrong... at least not today.  
  
There sat Kouga surrounded by a few girls in World Government. Good thing Inuyasha was already here with Shippo. Does he run to class, that's the 2nd time he's beaten me. Of course we only have 2 classes together anyway. Moving on...  
  
"Hey Inu-kun"  
  
"Hey Kag. We'll sit back here away from him if you don't mind. The perfume off those girls is already giving me a headache." He said with a grin while Sango and Miroku came in.  
  
"That's him I take it?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Unfortunately." I replied. He hadn't noticed me yet. This was great! That whole thing in Literature could have been a joke, or something.  
  
Yes!  
  
"Hey Kagome. Still gonna be my girl right?" Said Kouga sitting not to far away from my desk.  
  
NO! This is not happening.again..  
  
"No chance." I said.  
  
"Back off you sicko, she's not interested."  
  
"Who asked you dog-mutant!"  
  
"Dog-mutant!? Like I haven't heard that one before. Don't you have something more original, or can your brain size not handle a lot of information in one period of time?"  
  
"Well I heard your in Trig 2, so why are you in a lower class than I am. I actually passed well enough to get into Calculus!"  
  
"Shippo and I passed every algebra and calculus class, not to mention geometry in the freshman year. Trig 2 was the one we skipped. Therefore the only thing left."  
  
"I didn't know midgets and mutants had such high IQ's! So was your mother some kind of a demon or something to give you those?"  
  
That was the last straw for me! I could sense Inuyasha tensing up. His mom was always a sensitive subject to talk about since both of his parents were dead.  
  
"KOUGA! Enough. Back off you jerk."  
  
"You bet I am, but I'm your jerk Kag-chan." Oh great, there goes that arrogant grin again. It's cool or even cute on Inuyasha with his cocky smile, but this guy just made it creepy.  
  
"Stop calling me Kag-chan! I am not your friend, or acquaintance; I don't even think I want to know you as an enemy, just back off! How do you even know my name anyway!?"  
  
"I rule this school now, I know everything Kag. And I don't take no for an answer. You'll be mine guaranteed." By now I realized we had a large audience and a lot of jealous girls around the room sending me dirty looks while Inuyasha sat fuming at his desk.  
  
*Ring* (that was a long passing time to wait for the bell...)  
  
"Sit down, Sit Down! Welcome to World Government Class! I am Nago-sensei. So.. What are your names?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok then..... ah! we have the new sports star! Would you care to tell us about America?"  
  
"Sure thing." He said giving me a sly grin. I shuddered. "Well. in America we have schools a lot like this and everything. Uh. there's lots of babes and chicks, but there are some even better ones here." He winked at me as I lowered in my seat. Before this I had a reputation as a social outcast, soon I was going to have one as a murderer to certain jocks.  
  
"There's lot's of sports and stuff too."  
  
"That's... nice Kouga. You can sit down now. Now class we have to go over some attendance policies. Now first off...."  
  
Going into sleepy mode now... Until a piece of paper bounced off my head from the direction of Kouga next to me.  
  
**12 minutes later**  
  
For some reason Kouga is determined to get my attention. That's the 8th note to bounce off my head onto my desk. I am determined not to pay any attention to him.  
  
-_-+;;;;;;;;;;;;;  
  
9th note. I'm losing my temper.  
  
I turned to see Inuyasha glaring murderously at Kouga for whatever reason. Miroku in front of me was snoozing from the lecture on the importance of attendance. Shippo was hanging over his desk and looked half dead from boredom. Sango was doodling on a piece of paper, why hadn't I though of that?  
  
While sitting between Kouga and Inuyasha, you could feel the heat waves rolling around you. And it was creeping me out! I wanted a new seat far away from here.  
  
10th note.. -_-+++++++++++;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  
  
I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist. I am a pacifist....  
  
11th note..  
  
I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him. I will kill him...  
  
*Ring*  
  
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Saying a bolted for the door into the parking light at breakneck speed, is an understatement.  
  
"Kagome!" said Shippo running to catch up.  
  
"What Shippo?"  
  
"Don't forget I need a ride from you." He said while the others walked up behind him to my car.  
  
"Yeah, little guy can't drive yet, the poor thing."  
  
"Shut up Yash!"  
  
"Yeah. Who else wants to go in my car?"  
  
"I will Kag-chan. I already had to get a ride from hentai-san this morning." Said Sango.  
  
"Sango I'm hurt!"  
  
"So we'll all meet at the mall in a few minutes?" asked Inuyasha ignoring them.  
  
"Yeah, need to stock up on supplies and anime." Said Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha went in his black Convertible, and Miroku in his Silver PT Cruiser. We were on our way in my beautiful car when I popped in my favorite burned CD. American Rock, Anime Songs, and some Japanese Rock/Pop. Rush, Beatles, Ayumi Hamasaki, and Do As Infinity.  
  
^________^  
  
My day was starting to improve. But I need some sugar to keep me awake. I was sleep deprived! Caffeine here I come!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I want to see if the new manga came in! Or if they have the new Shonen Jump in stock! PLEASE!?"  
  
"Sango, I do too, but we were supposed to meet them in the food court 15 minutes ago." I said trying to pry her away from the anime shops on the other side of the mall. Some people think that malls are completely preppy and filled with things like that. However, there are some good anime shops, bookstores, and more there. Not to mention a large variety of food at the food court! Egg rolls! Milkshakes! Fried Wontons! I love crab and shrimp too! Food is my friend. ^_____________^  
  
"NO! THEY HAVE THE PRINCESS MONOKE SOUNDTRACK ON SALE! I WANT IT!!!!"  
  
"Do you have any money?" I asked.  
  
"..."  
  
"I didn't think so."  
  
"Then will you buy me caffeine?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"Fine, just come on."  
  
"YES! Caffeine is our friend!"  
  
"Amen to that." I said.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Are we going for fashionably late here or something?" asked Shippo as Sango and I sat down. The only response he received were two glares.  
  
"So what do we want to do exactly for homecoming?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Well, I did a few blueprints in Trig 2, if you don't mind Kagome."  
  
"Fine by me Shippo. What did you come up with?" I asked.  
  
"Just a few small pranks all around the dance adding up to the overall idea of ruining homecoming."  
  
"So were not going big on this?" asked Sango.  
  
"Can't. If you go too big, then with the 5 of us were taking a big risk to getting caught. Which can lead to being expelled."  
  
"Good idea. However were still taking a risk doing this." Said Miroku.  
  
"The risk makes it more fun." Said Inuyasha, "Besides, doing small ones instead of something huge to ruin everything leaves it at a small chance of even getting caught."  
  
"Then they'll just think some random people are doing this instead of little innocent us." Said Shippo.  
  
"Exactly." I said. "Start us off Shippo, what are the plans?"  
  
"Alright! First prank, Inuyasha and I will be taking care of. When you go to homecoming what do they always have set up under the basketball hoops?"  
  
"Photography for dance pictures."  
  
"Exactly!" he said. "So when Kikyo and Naraku walk up to get their picture taken under the hoop 2 paint bombs are dropped just in time. School colors of course."  
  
"I though you said these were small pranks?"  
  
"They are small.... or at least the next one is. Kagome you'll be taking care of the music. Your choice on what it is, just make it bad, something that no one will want to dance to."  
  
"Will do!"  
  
"Now Miroku and Sango, the two of you are going to..."  
  
"That is brilliant!" said Miroku.  
  
"What did he say?" I asked.  
  
"Shippo, what the rest of it?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Miroku and Sango's is top secret to them, you'll know it when you see it at the dance. Now, when Kagome does the music just slowly but quickly make your way to the parking lot. There we will watch the rest of the plan finish out which I will take care of. And then we drive into the night to celebrate! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha."  
  
"Shippo I'm taking away your sugar if you try an evil cackle again." Said Miroku.  
  
"No! My Pop Rocks!"  
  
"Down boy."  
  
"Let's get home then. I still have Calculus homework. Stupid sensei."  
  
"Yeah and the report for World Government." Said Sango.  
  
"What report!?" we all asked.  
  
"It was on the board, and he said it out loud at the end of class remember? Don't any of you pay attention?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Figures. It's 5 paragraph essay on why attendance is important."  
  
"Oh be darned!" I said.  
  
"Let's go then."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Ja ne Shippo-chan!" I yelled as Sango and I drove off.  
  
"Ja Kag. Thanks for the ride!" cried Shippo running into his house. "Sounds like it will be a good plan."  
  
"Yeah. Now all we have to do is wait a month for the actual dance."  
  
"Do you think Kouga is going to ask you again?"  
  
"Just once? Unfortunately, I think he's going to ask non-stop."  
  
"What if you had a date though?"  
  
"Like who!?"  
  
"Inuyasha."  
  
"He wouldn't take me. Were just best friends."  
  
"I meant you two could go together as friends for an excuse so Kouga will leave you alone for a bit."  
  
"That's a good idea Sango-chan."  
  
"Of course it is. I thought of it."  
  
"You're so conceited." I said pulling up to her house.  
  
"Ja Kagome-chan! Thanks for the ride!"  
  
"Sayonara!"  
  
Of course even if I did go with Inuyasha to the dance I highly doubt Kouga would back off...  
  
'Not much to do about it though' I thought walking into the house. I pulled out my papers from my book bag.  
  
50 Calculus problems and a 5-paragraph essay to go...  
  
Chichiri4488:  
  
HI! Cookies to my reviewers from last time!  
  
Please read and review! If you like my writing, you can check out another story I have up called "Long, Long Way to Go."  
  
Bebop-miroku: I did spell it that way didn't I? Well thank you very much. I am sleep deprived and I just glided through spell check last time, which told me it should be Koga. Thank you. Your welcome for the cookie, have another.  
  
Namiko the anime wizard: Here's the next chapter! Have a cookie!  
  
Click the button and leave a review! ^___________^ Please! 


	4. A Change of Heart

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer: Oh be darned. I don't own him.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
~A Change of Heart ~  
  
All week. The whole week he just kept on bugging me. He wouldn't stop and it's hard enough to restrain yourself and an angry Inuyasha. I really, really want to kill something or someone right now...  
  
Life can be so cruel.  
  
Kouga is bound to be the most naive guy I have ever met, or the dumbest. He can't understand that I don't like him, at all. I've thrown books and pencils at him, ran from him, hid in Miroku's locker one time, and it is very scary in there... I even yelled (quite a few times actually) to 'go away', 'I hate you' or 'leave me alone'.  
  
Yet there are still rumors around the school that I belong to him. I'm a person not an object thank you.  
  
At this rate I don't think all the aspirin in Tokyo could cure my migraine. I really need a nap. Unfortunately it's only Tuesday.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Since Kouga was stalking me at lunch, we all went outside to eat in the courtyard. It was nice with the tress and fall starting up. Then he found us yet again.  
  
"Hey Kag-chan!"  
  
"Please no. Please just don't let it be him!" I muttered.  
  
"Crap man, can't he just leave us alone?" asked Shippo.  
  
"Apparently not." Said Miroku.  
  
"Hey Kag. Just came to see how my woman was doing. Why don't you come inside and sit with me. We can talk about our date."  
  
"What date!?" yelled Inuyasha and I at the same time.  
  
"Shut up dog-turd it's none of your freakin business!"  
  
"Your gonna have to have a better insult than that Kouga."  
  
"Shut it mutt!"  
  
"Heard that too."  
  
"You little piece of-"  
  
"Sorry, heard that one a lot. Come on let's hear something original for an insult, you simpleton."  
  
"Are you trying to say I'm stupid!?"  
  
"I'm not trying to, I actually am."  
  
"I'm gonna beat you into a bl-"  
  
"ENOUGH!" I yelled. Both of them looked at in shock.  
  
"I have had it up to hear with your bickering! Cut it out already. I want to shoot somebody right...for pete's sake..."  
  
"Are you mad at me Kagome?"  
  
"No kiddin." I muttered.  
  
"Well I can make it up to you with dinner and a movie, How about that?"  
  
"I don't want to go out with you moron!"  
  
"...So...you don't like me...?"  
  
"You're just now figuring this out!?"  
  
"....."  
  
I really hate any form of guilt. Especially when you really didn't do anything wrong.  
  
"Kou-"  
  
"I get it. Well then I guess I just have to do what I can. Don't worry Kagome; I will win your heart." He said grinning at me. Then he walked off with his jock lackeys to the cafeteria.  
  
I think I'm doomed...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I could only hope that this school day would turn out better than yesterday. Kouga had gone on the announcements at the end of the day to announce his undying love for me, and then had the nerve to show up grinning at me in 6th period. It's now Wednesday and good thing I'm headed for anatomy. It was CSI day, the day we learn different things that they do in Crime Scene Investigation.  
  
"Welcome class. Today for CSI were going to work on fingerprints. Please work with your partner on the worksheets till I give you further instruction."  
  
"Yippee." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"I actually like this class ya know."  
  
"That's because I'm in it, and Kouga's not."  
  
"Yeah that's part of it. But the CSI stuff is cool, and I like the different labs and stuff. There's not even a lot of homework in here."  
  
"Yeah but still I don't like what Kouga did yesterday."  
  
"Are we talking about the class anymore?"  
  
"NO not really."  
  
"OK then. Yeah I agree it was way out of line, but what are we gonna do about it. Even the faculty worships him now."  
  
"That's because his family has a pocketful of cold-hard- cash."  
  
"I dint know that."  
  
"Yeah, the idiot's family owns about 4 of the top companies in Japan now, and they used to own more of them back in America."  
  
"Where do you guys here all this stuff!?"  
  
"It's in the newspaper Kag."  
  
"I don't read the paper."  
  
"You don't pay attention to anything either." He said grinning at me.  
  
"Shut up Yash." I said. I couldn't help but smile, Inuyasha can always cheer me up. Even in the worst of times.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Another school day to experience in the evil world of mathematics...  
  
"Here comes the girl to win his heart. It's so romantic!" squealed Naraku with sarcasm.  
  
"Shut up before I carve your heart out of you with a spoon." I said to him.  
  
"What heart?" asked Sango.  
  
"Good point."  
  
Kikyo and Naraku had been bugging me about Kouga, ever since he made it clear to the entire school that I was his, and his alone. Everyone has those days where they just want to shoot somebody. Especially me right now.  
  
"Shut up yourself freak." Sneered Kikyo.  
  
"Why don't all of you shut up and we can begin calculus!" shouted Onigumo- sensei.  
  
"Yes sir." We both said.  
  
"Now thanks to our little catfight, I hope you all can enjoy a wonderful pop quiz."  
  
The entire class groaned and sent evil looks at me. Of course none of them were directed towards Kikyo... Oh how I despise her.  
  
"Rough day?" asked Sango as I sat down next to her.  
  
-_-++;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  
  
"No kiddin."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Victory! Kouga wasn't in 4th period or lunch! World government will be so much more enjoyable!  
  
Unless he just had to come back at the end of the day and was sitting there next to my desk with his big wolfish grin.  
  
"Hello Kagome. I picked these up especially for you!" he handed a bouquet of more then a dozen roses with a card and a box of chocolates. I t felt like Valentines day, only I never got stuff like this on Valentines day. Ever.  
  
"Thank you very much Kouga, but I can't accept these from you-"  
  
"Nonsense. I cut 4th period and went and got these just for you. This way they're nice and fresh."  
  
This was just too weird. He first is like a possessive stalker, and now... he acts...... dare I say sweet?  
  
**Ring**  
  
"Sit down; you'll need paper to take notes. Get to it."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Why me?" *bang* "Why did it have to be me?" *bang* "Life is just cruel." *bang*  
  
"Kag, I don't think hitting your head against your locker is going to solve anything." Said Shippo. "Unless you just want a migraine."  
  
"I already have one Shippo."  
  
"Exactly!"  
  
"Come on. Were supposed to meet at Inuyasha's house for practice."  
  
"I'm coming."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Hey Sessh."  
  
"Konnichiwa Kagome, Shippo, and Sango."  
  
"How have you been Sesshy?"  
  
"Just fine. Inuyasha's upstairs with Miroku, you three can go on up."  
  
"Thanks!" we said running up.  
  
Sesshomaru was cool. He was Inuyasha's brother, and studying to be a surgeon. The two of them were really close and looked out for each other. Ever since their parents had died Sesshomaru had taken care of them, and they had their uncle Myouga watching their backs too. They were pretty wealthy and had a large house with expensive furniture and all kinds of stuff. (A really nice stereo system and entertainment center for when we got bored too! ^___^ )  
  
In this house it was just the brothers with their two dogs. General, a large golden retriever, and also Hunter, a large Husky dog from Alaska.  
  
We came into the large room full of instruments. Miroku was seated at the drums, while Inuyasha sat on the couch strumming at his guitar.  
  
"-and she's buying a stairway to heaven-"  
  
"I love that song!" I said.  
  
"Why do you think I'm playing it? Led Zeppelin is one of the best music artists."  
  
"No arguments there. Just don't forget Rush, the Beatles, or Do As Infinity."  
  
"What should we play today? Hey I made a rhyme! Cool."  
  
"Shippo, you are very easily entertained." Said Miroku.  
  
"No duh Sherlock." Said Sango.  
  
"I have an appointment at 6, so Sango remind me later so I can drive you and Shippo home." Said Miroku. "So what should we work on?"  
  
"Should we try Live on? It needed a little work last time."  
  
"I guess so. But don't count on me knowing the whole solo just yet." Said Shippo.  
  
"You can do it, just remember to try it an octave lower than last time."  
  
"You make it sound so easy."  
  
"I would try it, but I don't play bass." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"OK, 1, 2, ready go."  
  
Sango came in on the keyboard with Miroku going on a steady tempo. Then I came in with Shippo and finally Inuyasha. I came up to the mike with Inuyasha.  
  
I was chained to the ground  
  
I needed to be found  
  
My hope was lost  
  
My life could be the cost  
  
You came then  
  
The light shined through  
  
You were my angel from heaven  
  
I needed you!  
  
~~Then in came Inuyasha to the mike still strumming on the guitar with me. ~~  
  
I saw your face  
  
I could not forget  
  
The pain and sadness was set  
  
Death will hold on because we must live on!  
  
~~Now came Shippo's bass guitar solo, and we cut off. ~~  
  
"That was good Shippo, but I think it was a little sharp coming down."  
  
"3rd finger I think. I just need a little practice. This is really fast right there."  
  
"You and I can work on it Shippo." Said Sango.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"Hey Sesshomaru. What's up?"  
  
"Your mom called. You need to head home for dinner."  
  
"AH! It's already 6!? Crap man. I'm late!" yelled Miroku sprinting down the stairs.  
  
"Wait up Miroku, I need a ride home!" yelled Sango chasing after him.  
  
"Wait for me!" yelled Shippo.  
  
"That was interesting." Said Inuyasha, as we all burst out laughing.  
  
Chichiri4488:  
  
Hello!  
  
I have cookies for all of my wonderful reviewers!  
  
bebop-miroku: I'm glad it was. I hope this one was too. More cookies. I feel like I have another personal editor, besides Mitsukake. Kikyo can be spelled either 'ou', or just 'o'. The 'u' just shows how to pronounce it in Japanese. In the Manga it is K-i-k-y-o, just with the line above o for pronunciation. Same with Kouga. Just the way I wrote them seems more correct to me. You could be right though, I just prefer it like that. But I appreciate it! Have an extra cookie!  
  
Mitsukake: Should I know who this is? Just kidding. For anyone else reading this, Mitsukake is one of my best friends. Have a cookie for finally reviewing! ^-^ (She also acts as a personal editor to my stories ^_~ )  
  
Namiko the anime wizard: Have more cookies! I love them too!  
  
Pensquared: I look forward to homecoming too. I'm glad the point came across that Kouga is scary and similar to a stalker. Have a cookie for reviewing!  
  
I know that this chapter was shorter then most. I apologize. I'm really really sleep deprived and I'm starting to get a cold. That leaves me brain dead and energy drained. Not a good combination.  
  
The song Inuyasha had started to play was Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. I love that song! It's an awesome band if you ever hear them. The song they were all playing was one I made up, so it's not really good in the few minutes I did it. Just go with it for now.  
  
Next chapter is the Homecoming Dance. ^________________________^  
  
Please Review! Please Review! ^-^ 


	5. Homecoming Disaster

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer: I wish.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
~Homecoming Disaster~  
  
It would be untrue to say that the next two weeks were boring, tedious, uneventful, or etc. In fact it was anything but that.  
  
I received gifts and compliments from Kouga. He understood that I didn't I like him, (finally), but he still had the strangest idea that I belonged to him. I guess ya win some and ya lose some.  
  
Inuyasha was a different story though. Anger would bubble up every time Kouga drew near us. I was lucky to still have my best friend. He has some great fighting skills if needed, but to handle the entire football team, basketball, and track team, not to mention angry Xena warrior cheerleaders. That's just a little unfair in numbers.  
  
That's why it has finally come down to this. This is what will decide the fate of senior year. The date of October 9th, draws closer and closer.....  
  
Were going to prank homecoming tonight!!!!!!!!!! ^_________^  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Ready."  
  
"Roger that."  
  
"Aye Aye captain!"  
  
"Understood."  
  
Inuyasha and I entered the dance followed by Shippo, Miroku, and Sango. We coordinated so that each person walked in 3 minutes after the others.  
  
Inuyasha headed for the dance, as I searched for the Math Quiz Bowl genius and all around Mr. Naïve, Houjo.  
  
Target spotted by the punch bowl.  
  
"Hey Houjo."  
  
"Good evening Higurashi-san."  
  
"Kouga asked me to give this to you for the DJ. He said it was from Ayame, from Sakura, from Kanna, from...."  
  
"I understand Higurashi, I'll give it to Hiten to give to the DJ."  
  
"Thanks!" I said and walked off towards Inuyasha.  
  
"How's it coming Yash?"  
  
"Good, just waiting for our winners to step up to the booth..."  
  
I looked towards the picture booths set up by the basketball hoops. Our school is so cheap to have homecoming in the gym... :P  
  
I had to wonder what Miroku and Sango were up to. They seemed excited for their prank and so did Shippo...Only time will tell at this rate.  
  
Yes! Naraku and Kikyo headed for the photographer. They're under the hoop....  
  
"Now say cheese kids!"  
  
"1-"  
  
Push the button!  
  
"2-"  
  
Bombs away!  
  
**splash**  
  
**CLICK**  
  
School colors really do suit Naraku and Kikyo. Especially in paint!  
  
Naraku with Orange, and Kikyo soaked in Red. That'll leave a stain on a tux!  
  
Orange and Red, our school is named, "Home of the Flaming Monkeys" from our mascot. How much cornier can it get?  
  
"I believe that was victorious." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"Of course. Now just wait for the right music." ^______^  
  
There goes Hiten for the kill!  
  
"OK ladies and gents! We got some funked up music to play for you! Some good stuff to get your groove on! Get to it!" yelled the DJ.  
  
Oh this was so much fun!  
  
'You put your right foot in, and ya pull your right foot out! You do the hokey pokey and ya turn yourself about, that's what it's al-'  
  
The music was stopped very quickly once they got over the initial shock.  
  
"Sorry about that peoples! Here is some good stuffs then!"  
  
'I don't want to be a chicken, I don't want to be a duck, I just-'  
  
"Sorry, wrong disk! Try this on for size now!"  
  
'I love you, you love me, were all one big-'  
  
"BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"  
  
"What is this jit!?" yelled the DJ.  
  
"Very nice work Kagome."  
  
"Thank you Yash."  
  
"Hey guys." Said Miroku walking over next to us.  
  
"Where's your prank Miroku? Or Sango?"  
  
"I'm here, and here comes the prank." Said Sango. I looked to the doors, and stared. There were two clowns and a large barney character. This was too good to be true.  
  
"Hello boys and girls!" yelled out Barney. Apparently I wasn't the only one with a staring problem.  
  
The clowns started riding around on unicycles while juggling eggs that every once in a while would smash onto someone's head.  
  
"Miroku, is that your cousin Rebus?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Actually his name's Remus, but yeah."  
  
"The clown or Barney?" I asked.  
  
"The Purple dinosaur is family."  
  
"This was Shippo's idea?"  
  
"No kag. Houjo came up with it." Said Sango.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Where is Shippo anyway?" asked Sango.  
  
"Probably doing finishing touches to everything. We should go soon." Replied Inuyasha.  
  
"Right after we watch this...."  
  
"Why Miroku?  
  
"Just trust us." Said Sango.  
  
I looked back to Barney, or Remus if you will. This was the highlight of my week, no month- heck maybe the year! I ALMOST pitied Kouga.  
  
"Dance along with me!"  
  
"Let me go you big piece of-" yelled Kouga.  
  
"Naughty, naughty! We need proper language for all the other kiddies!"  
  
"Kiddies my-"  
  
"Tut tut! We'll have to give you a timeout!"  
  
"Miroku, remind me to seriously thank your cousin."  
  
"Will do Kag, will do."  
  
"LET GO ALREADY!"  
  
I had a feeling Kouga was getting upset.  
  
"I'm going to kill you, you idiotic bird!"  
  
Since when was barney a bird?  
  
Ouch. That hit had to hurt. Remus would be out for a while. Time to run.....  
  
"Kagome!?" shouted Kouga.  
  
We were spotted.....  
  
Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Gotta think of a lie, and quick!  
  
"I-"  
  
"She came with me." Said Inuyasha putting his hand around my waist. Saved by the best friend.  
  
"She what!?"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"Listen up dog-boy. Kagome's mine, so I strongly suggest you keep away from her."  
  
"You don't have a say in it." Said Miroku.  
  
"I do, but you don't punk."  
  
"Shut it Kouga." Said Sango.  
  
"Kouga, just leave me alone! I don't belong to you!" I was getting so sick of him that it was nauseating to think about.  
  
"Actually Kag, you do. So get used to it."  
  
"CONGA!"  
  
A long conga line of teachers and chaperones came by separating us from Kouga for a getaway. If you ask me they looked really, really drunk.  
  
This year really just is getting weirder.  
  
We raced to the parking lot to see Shippo grinning as he leaned back against my car.  
  
"I have to say it was a brilliant evening." He said polishing his fingers against his shirt. "And it's not even over yet."  
  
"What do you mean it's not over?" asked Sango.  
  
BOOM  
  
"Now it's over." He said and dived into the car, closely followed by us.  
  
People came rushing out of the gym to the parking lot, while green gas floated out after them.  
  
"Stink bombs?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Original I know, but I thought, why not? 12-15 bombs from the ceiling wont kill anyone right?"  
  
"It'll kill me if the smells still there when we get back to class. My nose is half dead now."  
  
"Don't worry Inuyasha, you should be fine, and they'll probably get the smell out soon anyway."  
  
"Hopefully at least." Said Miroku. "The conga lines still going."  
  
He was right. The conga line was still going now through the parking lot.  
  
"How did that happen?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Sango spiked the punch, and Shippo persuaded the teachers." Said Miroku.  
  
"Persuaded?" I asked.  
  
"They owed me for tutoring, and I made sure they wont remember."  
  
"I don't even want to know Shippo."  
  
"Good cause I'm not telling." He said smiling brightly at me, as I drove off from the school.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"My homecoming pictures are ruined! The idiot photographer wouldn't even let us do retakes later on! Naraku-kun's tux is completely ruined." Bawled Kikyo with the other cheerleaders.  
  
Their pictures ruined as prom king and queen. Almost made me pity them.  
  
Nah.  
  
Revenge is a dish best served cold.  
  
Surprisingly we weren't at school. I was with Inuyasha at dinner right now. The cheerleaders must have all felt like going for dinner at the same restaurant, the night after homecoming. Coincidence? I think not.....  
  
"Something's up." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"You figured it out too."  
  
"Well Naraku's gang was a bit of a giveaway." He said frowning out the window.  
  
"That and the cheerleaders aren't eating or ordering."  
  
Can you tell were observant people?  
  
"Come on Kag. Lets get out of here before something happens."  
  
"Coming."  
  
We paid quickly and made our way for Inuyasha's car when Naraku's gang surrounded us. It just had to be dark, curses!  
  
"Well, here's the little ones. A girl and a mutant, this'll be too easy."  
  
"Stay back Kag." Said Inuyasha. He had a glare in his eye basically saying 'come close an die'.  
  
"Come now Inu-chan, we just want to play. We'll show you who the strongest really is!"  
  
One of them charged at Inuyasha but was punched hard in the gut making fly into another car and vomit on the hood. I felt sorry for the owner....There were 3 left, and both looked eager to throw a punch. One came at me and another at Inuyasha at the same time. I turned and kicked him in the wrong area, which had him howling in pain, while Inuyasha just sent them flying with a high kick. Who says karate never pays off?  
  
The only one left was Naraku. Unfortunately for us, he had a long knife. A very sharp and deadly looking blade too.....He came at Inuyasha and they went around each other until finally Naraku leaped at him. Inuyasha was cut on the arm, but Naraku get hit and kicked until he was on the ground coughing up his own blood.  
  
"Let's get out of here Kag."  
  
"Right. I'm coming."  
  
He put his arm around my shoulders, squeezing them gently for comfort. We got into his black car and drove off.  
  
"Where are we going?" I asked.  
  
"The secret spot."  
  
Wow. We hadn't been there for a long time. The secret spot was a place above the park, giving you a perfect view of the starry sky. We had been going there since we were 5. It was a place of comfort, peace, and cheering each other up in times of need. It was also the one place in Tokyo you can see the stars because of all the city lights.  
  
He drove up the small incline till we pulled over and looked at the horizon. A large moon and hundreds of stars filled the night sky. It was breathtaking.  
  
"Are you okay Kagome?"  
  
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"I'm just worried about you recently. With Kouga, and tonight's attack and everything..."  
  
"Inu, I'm fine." I said smiling. "Do you think Kouga planned the attack?"  
  
"I wouldn't doubt it. He doesn't want me near you anymore."  
  
"You're my best friend. I'm not losing you." I leaned close and put my head on his shoulder looking up into the night.  
  
"Good. Cause I'll always be there for you Kag."  
  
I just smiled.  
  
Chichiri4488:  
  
Was it good fluff? It was supposed to be. If it wasn't then fine, cause I'm brain-dead! I need sugar! -_-#;; need/want/kill for sugar! I need a nap. So tired..... evils of algebra and other homework keeping me awake....**shudders**  
  
I hope you liked homecoming! ^_________^  
  
Cookies to my Reviewers!!!!! **tosses them out**  
  
Shippo: What's wrong with peachy? Have a cookie for reviewing.  
  
Drisowen: Thanks for reviwing! I like the nice Sesshy too! ;-) Have a cookie.  
  
lone silver fox: I don't care if your late. I'm late with the chap. :P Thanks for reviwing, and have a cookie!  
  
Vampire-Elf: Thanks, I'm glad. I have low self confidence, it's good to hear. :D Thanks and have a cookie!!!!!  
  
Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet: Be careful not to choke. Have more cookies!  
  
Thank you so much for your reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
And................  
  
~*~*~*~ HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~*~*~*~  
  
Until next time!  
  
Ja ne!  
  
~Reviews are always welcome in my world! ^-^ ~ 


	6. A Sad Puppy and Who’s George?

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
Chichiri4488: On my other fic I brought in Shippo for a disclaimer, so he volunteered to join us here!  
  
Shippo: **chained up** Volunteered?  
  
Chichiri4488: ^^;; Anyway.....  
  
Shippo: I'm here until you get me a contract to work for you! Or else Inuyasha won't let me back in the studio.....  
  
Chichiri4488: I'm working on it! It's a long process to get a contract!  
  
Shippo: How long?  
  
Chichiri4488: Could be a few months. Can't tell yet. Could even be as long as this fanfic. ^_____^  
  
Shippo: T_T someone please save me.....  
  
Chapter 5  
  
~A Sad Puppy and Who's George?~  
  
I would strangle Kouga. I swear I would.  
  
He just wouldn't leave me alone. I realize I've said this before, but now I really, really mean it. The idiot must die.  
  
Every time I was even close, (close as in a 30 foot radius), to Inuyasha, poof- there's Kouga! The evil no good wolfish grinning one that is so possessive it's sickening!  
  
Now would be where I take deep breaths and hit myself really hard with a book to calm down.  
  
I'm calm. But probably not for long.  
  
Did any of that make sense? Probably not.  
  
Let's put this in a way with a little less negativity.  
  
Kouga has too many spies for his own good. They watch me. They saw Inuyasha and I at the spot that one night and now Inuyasha and Kouga are really at each other's throats. Compared to what they are now, they used to have been good friends. That's scary. No, that's really scary.  
  
Because of Kouga I am actually semi-on the 'Social Ladder'. I'm still scum everywhere, but I'm Kouga's scum which means I'm something to this cruddy school, and if my barriers collapse and die, I pray that they don't, and there's even one date with him..... I will be the girlfriend to a jock in everyone's eyes.  
  
The very thought makes me shudder.  
  
Is there no end to the evil nightmare known as high school!?  
  
Besides graduation.....  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Kaggy-kins!"  
  
Evil. Evil draws near. And this evil resorts to pet names. #-_-#  
  
"Dog crap! I said stay away from her!"  
  
"Buzz off bird brain!" called Inuyasha.  
  
"I'll never eat my lunch in peace again!" wailed Shippo.  
  
"I feel for ya shorty." Said Miroku.  
  
"Don't call me shorty!"  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
"Kouga, just go away."  
  
"Aww Kag. Come on it's me Kouga."  
  
"That's why she said to leave baka."  
  
"No one asked you dog-turd."  
  
"That's it. I am starting a vow of silence!" I yelled.  
  
"Kag, I want to take you out. A nice dinner and movie. Maybe dancing or something? What do ya say?"  
  
"......."  
  
"I'll assume that's an agreeable silence and I'll pick you up at 6 on Friday?"  
  
"I am breaking my vow of silence to once again inform you, that I have no interest, will not have interest, and have never had any interest in you! GO AWAY!"  
  
"Denial is the first step and a wonderful form of flattery."  
  
"I despise you."  
  
NO that phrase did not come out of my mouth. No matter how badly I wanted to and was ready to say it. It has actually been Inuyasha.  
  
"You think you can just claim a girl for yourself with one look at them and they'll fall for you? People like you make me sick. You're all talk and no bite. The only thing backing you up is an army of students that idolize you for some crappy skills on court. You have nothing and will never have Kagome."  
  
"You talk big mutant. Maybe she's your friend now. Ha!"  
  
I couldn't believe him. He was laughing at Inuyasha for saying something that was completely true.  
  
"Listen up dog boy. I know what happened that Sunday night after homecoming. Kagome will be mine, and if you even think she could like some trash like you think again. Was your mother even human to give you features like that?"  
  
My temper just hit the roof. I stepped in front of Inuyasha before he could tackle Kouga to the ground in rage.  
  
"I would rather be with Inuyasha, then you any day."  
  
For the first time, Kouga was speechless. Victory! 2 points to me!  
  
"I- ...... I'll... I'll be back. And you will be mine."  
  
Once again we had a large audience. Very large....  
  
"GO one people! Nothing to see here!" yelled Shippo. Nobody moved. "WOULD YOU EAT ALREADY!" That got them going.  
  
"Why miss Kagome! Was that a sign of admittance to unknown feelings?" questioned Miroku.  
  
"Shut up perv." Said Sango.  
  
"Sango I'm hurt! I would never do anything like that!"  
  
"Sure you wouldn't....."  
  
"Shut up Shippo."  
  
"You ok Yash?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah. Just fine."  
  
I knew Inuyasha. He was defiantly not fine.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
After school I went to Inuyasha's house and hung out with him. We played a bit on guitar and watched some anime DVDs while doing homework.  
  
"Alright, what's wrong?" I asked looking up from my World Government book.  
  
"What on earth makes you think something's wrong?"  
  
"You barely say anything, or touch your food, and have been strumming depressing songs about love since you got home. Not to mention you keep looking out the window with a big sigh."  
  
"Ok..... so there is something wrong."  
  
"I'm glad we agree."  
  
"It's just-"  
  
"What Kouga said today?"  
  
"Yeah.....I just feel- He had no right to insult my mother! She was a wonderful person..."  
  
"I know she was Yash. She was like a second mother to me, and I cant completely know how feel with both parents dead, but I can try right?"  
  
"Kag, you're the only one right now I'll let help me through anything."  
  
"I'll always be here Inuyasha."  
  
"But if that slimy -"  
  
"I know Inuyasha, I know."  
  
"Thanks Kag." He said. Then I got one of those great rare smiles that have been hard to come by since Kouga showed up. I loved those! ^__^  
  
But something told something way deep down was still bugging him just a bit.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Too *bang* much *bang* homework *bang*."  
  
"Kagome-chan, hitting your head only kills off brain cells, not to mention energy you'll be needing later on for that homework." Said Sango.  
  
"It makes me *bang*focus on the pain *bang* instead of *bang* the work."  
  
"Kag, there are things like anger management courses instead of self abuse." Said Shippo walking up to my locker.  
  
"They only *bang* want to *bang* corrupt the mind."  
  
"Actually they doodle and give you advice that hardly ever works, but were all entitled to our opinions Kag-chan."  
  
"Shut up *bang* Shippo." T_T  
  
"Another episode of 'watch Kagome injure her head'? I presume?" asked Miroku walking up.  
  
"Is my locker some king of a gathering place or something?"  
  
"Of course it is Kag!" yelled Inuyasha pouncing onto me.  
  
"AH! Inuyasha my backpack is already heavy enough without you!"  
  
"Kagome, you're the only senior I know with such a large backpack. You look like a freshman."  
  
T_T  
  
"I know Miroku, I know."  
  
"Can we go now!? Please??????? I wanna see how I did on Jakotsu-sensei's test!"  
  
"Down Shippo. We'll go, besides you already know you got an A."  
  
"You can never be sure!"  
  
"Shippo, it's been the same test every year. You have the answers memorized by now." I said.  
  
"Ok, so #1 is C, and #4 is E, so what?"  
  
"There are only 5 questions baka." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"OK fine, nut if I get a B, then your head is on the platter Inuyasha!"  
  
**ring**  
  
"YES!" yelled Shippo.  
  
"no...." I groaned.  
  
I'm putting him on a no sugar 'diet'. There's something wrong when he's hyper for class. Even if it's an art class.....  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lunchtime!  
  
One of the best times of the day, if you don't have a stalker!  
  
"Kagome-chan?"  
  
"Hai Shippo-chan?"  
  
"Why are you eating in the tree?"  
  
"In case Kouga shows up."  
  
"Kouga isn't here today."  
  
Now that is a blessing f I ever counted one.  
  
Just one small problem....  
  
"I spent the whole day hiding and now you tell me!"  
  
"Gomen Kagome-chan. I thought you knew."  
  
"Hiding in Miroku's locker, dodging behind trashcans and vending machines, not to mention sprinting across the courtyard to get here wasn't the smallest hint?"  
  
"I wasn't paying attention...."  
  
-.-;;;;  
  
I really need some aspirin.  
  
"Kag, this guy has your life worried. Your cowering in fear from him even seeing you." Said Miroku.  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Kag, look at what you just said, then add it up with every other day. Now answer what I said."  
  
Running, dodging , Miroku's locker..... egads! All signs tht I was....  
  
"I'm avoiding him..."  
  
"No duh Sherlock, but look at what else!"  
  
Oh crud. I was running away from Kouga.  
  
"I'll kill him! I have never run from anything, and by George I'm not starting now!"  
  
"Who's George?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Shush Miroku, it's ok." Said Sango.  
  
"I will not let him defeat me!!! We will conquer by Halloween!"  
  
"Kag, Halloween's this Friday." Said Inuyasha.  
  
Insert a few sweat drops on my head and call it a day. Wait, Halloween on Friday? THIS FRIDAY?  
  
"NI! We haven't even planned. Oh well, we'll wing it."  
  
"Ni?" asked Shippo.  
  
"New word." I said.  
  
"Trick-or-treating right?" asked Sango.  
  
"What else!?"  
  
If there is free candy at every door then I say go for it! You even get to run around in a costume on a night that they wont put you in an asylum for it!  
  
"WHO'S GEORGE!?" yelled Miroku.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chichiri4488:  
  
I HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Until I get more reviews, there IS NO MORE CHAPTERS!  
  
Shippo: You're grammar is way off there.  
  
I'm not in English, and you're not my teacher.  
  
Shippo: I should be :P  
  
Anyway, I have been getting reviews and it's not a bad amount, but I would really REALLY appreciate more. When I think I either have enough reviews or you other reviewers have suffered enough, I'll post the next chapter. Just because I'm not updating because your not reviewing, doesn't mean I'm not writing! Did that make sense?  
  
Shippo: @.@ not really.  
  
For an explanation on this late and semi-short chapter, you can read it on my profile, and feel free to read my other stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
I would like to thank my reviewers who reviewed! **showers them in cookies!** And now you get some candy too! **tosses candies**  
  
Nibzo: I'm glad you liked it. It's always a good thing to hear. Hmmmm..... girl scout cookies? Sure, why not! but stealing? Have a cookie for reviewing!  
  
Inutori: Thanks for reviewing, it was cool talking to you a bit on email as well. Good luck on your fic! I'm glad people are reading this, they just need to leave a review. At least I hope they're reading this......  
  
Shippo72: Easy on the sugar there Shippo-chan.  
  
Sarah: Of course I care! I love all my reviewers! Have a cookie! No 2 cookies! No! have LOTS OF COOKIES!!!!! ^_^  
  
Vampire-Elf: Yes actually I did understand that. I'm glad you like my story so much, it gives me some inspiration! Have cookies!  
  
Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet: Namiko, I think you have one of the coolest names I've ever seen. And you really like them cookies. Enjoy some more! Have cookies!  
  
Leave a review!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Click that button!! 


	7. Happy Halloween

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
Shippo: Do you honestly think this idiot could own anything?  
  
Chichiri4488: I think that sugar I gave you is making you cranky.  
  
Shippo: Actually, my crankiness would probably be from being stuck here with a psycho!  
  
Chichiri4488: You say psycho like it's a bad thing.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
~Happy Halloween~  
  
This has got to be one of the best nights of the year. Candy, costumes, candy, friends, candy, and of course candy!  
  
What's better than that in October? Of course that's my opinion. Shippo's favorite is usually the fourth of July. He fell in love with the holiday ever since his family came back from their summer in America. Now, back home in Japan we blow up big soda bottles with dry ice, and shoot off fireworks just for kicks.  
  
A lot of people here in Tokyo don't celebrate Halloween though. Well not a lot, but quite a few. Some families think it's not following the cultures of Japan. Well pooh on them. If you don't like Halloween, then it's your loss.  
  
Candy!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Are you ready yet Yash?" I yelled. I had come to pick him up. Sango and Miroku would be here any minute with Shippo.  
  
"Almost!" he yelled.  
  
Guess what I was for Halloween! A miko! What else would you expect from a shrine girl. :P  
  
"A miko, eh Kag?" said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Yup! The ninja costume got old by third grade, and a shaman just didn't work for me."  
  
"Aren't you a little old for trick-or-treating though? No offense, but you are 17."  
  
"Shame Sessh! You're never too old for trick-or-treating!" said Inuyasha running down the stairs. He was dressed as a samurai.  
  
"Ah yes, that seems to be the golden rule throughout October."  
  
"Look who's talking! I can recall you going with us when you were a senior!" I said.  
  
"I would join you again tonight, but I have a date." Said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Inori again?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Of course. Disappointed in my dating choice?"  
  
"No! She's cool, and a lot better than any other girl- wait, she's the only girl you've dated...."  
  
"That Inuyasha, is because she's the only that caught my attention."  
  
"So how long have you been dating now?" I asked.  
  
"1 year this December."  
  
"My congratulations. Tell her I say hi. ok?"  
  
"I will Inuyasha."  
  
**ding-dong**  
  
Inuyasha opened the door to a monk Miroku, hippy Shippo, and a pirate Sango.  
  
"I am the powerful monk Miroku!"  
  
"Shut up Miroku!" said Sango walking inside.  
  
"Shippo, will anyone even know what a hippy is?" I asked.  
  
"If not then they should. America's cool, even with it's few wackos."  
  
"Look who's talking on wackos," said Inuyasha.  
  
"Hypocrite," muttered Shippo.  
  
"Do we even get candy for coming to this house?" asked Sango.  
  
"Candies are outside. I won't be here tonight." Said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Hey! It's empty!" yelled Miroku from the porch.  
  
"Shippo...." started Sango.  
  
"What!? I only took a couple..."  
  
"Shippo, the whole bucket is empty..." said Miroku.  
  
"Lets go now! No time for dawdle. There's candy to be fought for!" yelled Shippo racing out the door.  
  
"Get him!" we all yelled. Sesshomaru just watched in interest as he shut the door.  
  
Shippo was tackled and the candy was split evenly. Well, as evenly as we could figure out. That was a lot of candy in our pillow case bags.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Scram kids! Trick-or-treating is for the little ones!" yelled the man slamming the door in their face.  
  
"Is that the 12th or 13th house that's turned us down on age?" asked Miroku.  
  
"13th." I said.  
  
"Our lucky number..." said Sango.  
  
"We've gotten made candy from my house, the old lady's house and.... that's it." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"The old lady thought we were 12 though." I said.  
  
"She also thought I was a politician." Said Shippo.  
  
"In some ways a hippy was. Sort of." Said Miroku.  
  
"Lets head back then. We can watch a DVD or something at my place." Said Inuyasha heading for his car.  
  
"Dang it! My necklace fell." I yelled.  
  
"Where is it?" Inuyasha asked.  
  
"Probably back on that house's porch. I'll grab it and meet you at your car."  
  
"OK Kag."  
  
I ran back to the house. There it was. Stupid thing. I was halfway back to Inuyasha's car, but I never made it...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I had been pulled up quickly by a moving car. Someone had apparently pulled me up by my arms and into the back, of what I presumed was a pickup truck....  
  
Strangely enough I wasn't panicking at all.  
  
I knew exactly who had done this all.  
  
"KOUGA!" I yelled.  
  
"No need to yell Kag, I'm right here." He responded while releasing my arms.  
  
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"  
  
"I thought you should ditch the idiots and we can go cruise the town! I can take you on that date that I wanted to!"  
  
"I have a better idea. How about you drop me back off where I was, and then I won't have to kill you."  
  
"Sorry Kaggy, but no can do. I have plans for us, so lets go."  
  
"Kouga. Turn the car around now."  
  
"I'm not letting you go back to some outcasts Kagome, so get over it. You belong to me."  
  
"I am an outcast you moron!" I yelled. Oh, he was getting on my last nerve....  
  
"Stupid mutt doesn't know whats good for him." He said looking behind us.  
  
I only smirked as I saw Inuyasha's car closely following us.  
  
"Ginta, take us to the parking lot." He said.  
  
"Right Kouga!" said Ginta. So that's who was driving. Figures. Ginta, as well as Hokaku are Kouga's little lackeys.  
  
"Gonna fight him boss?" asked Hokaku.  
  
Speak of the devil. Hokaku's here too.  
  
"You better believe it. Someone's has to teach that mutt a lesson." Said Kouga.  
  
"You'll lose for sure." I said.  
  
"You're doubting your man?" said Kouga.  
  
"MY WHAT!?"  
  
"Yeah Kag, I'm yours and your mine."  
  
"Kouga, I don't want you. At all." I shuddered.  
  
"Kagome, I still haven't won your heart? Dang."  
  
"So sorry to disappoint you." I said with sarcasm.  
  
"Fine then. We'll settle this with dog boy. It's hard to believe that you love him though."  
  
"That's right,... WHOA! I don't love him! He's my best friend!"  
  
Well,... I had a crush on Inuyasha in the 5th grade that sort of stuck with me till.... well I still have a small one. But Kouga doesn't need to know that.  
  
"If you don't like him, then why don't you like me!?" yelled Kouga.  
  
"Because I'm just friends with him, and I don't like you at all! I just want to be friend with other people right now. Geez, is this a criminal act or something!?"  
  
"But I'm Kouga!"  
  
Man, can you say conceited.  
  
"SO!?"  
  
He looked so confused. This was almost funny. Almost.  
  
"But I'm Kouga..."  
  
"I don't care if you're Brad Pitt! I'm sorry but I don't like you the way that you seem to really like me!"  
  
"But I'm-"  
  
"Kouga, yes we have established your name. Now can I go?" I said.  
  
"I don't get it."  
  
I'm not in the best condition to play pychiatrist right now.  
  
"Ok Kouga. You like me. I don't like you. Inuyasha doesn't like you treating me like this. Is that a better explanation?"  
  
He still looked pathetic.  
  
"But there's no one else." He said.  
  
"Of course there is! There's plenty of fish in the sea. Just swim around for one."  
  
"I don't like fish."  
  
"I refuse to comment on that." I said.  
  
"I like fish!" said Ginta.  
  
"I like shrimp!" said Hokaku.  
  
Well good for them. I want to get off the loony bin car and back to my own insane group of friends.  
  
"So you don't like me?" asked Kouga pleadingly.  
  
"Are you just now getting that, after nearly 3 months!?"  
  
"My apologies Kagome. I hope you're happy with Inuyasha. Hopefully I can move on."  
  
"We're here Kouga!" yelled Ginta.  
  
I jumped off the back of the pickup as Inuyasha drove up and got out of his car angrily. Very angrily.  
  
"What did you think you were doing moron! You cant just kidnap girls off the street like that!"  
  
"I was trying to save her from you. I could not win her heart. You have won Inuyasha. Treat her well."  
  
Inuyasha just stood there with his mouth open. Oh! Poor fly. Flew right in there.  
  
"Y- yo- you what!?" Inuyasha yelled.  
  
"Just take her and go. It takes to long to explain." Said Kouga as he pushed me towards them.  
  
I feel like and object not a person.  
  
Kouga and the others drove off and left us there trying to recollect everything.  
  
"Well, I had my lawyer speech ready and everything." Said Shippo.  
  
"I'm confused." Said Miroku.  
  
"You're always confused." Said Sango.  
  
"Only with you Sango. You dazzle my mind." He said pulling her towards him.  
  
"Hentai!"  
  
Ouch, poor Miroku.  
  
I hope this is a good omen that things will return to normal. Or at least, as normal as normal can be.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"That was the weirdest Halloween yet." Said Inuyasha unlocking his front door. We all came in and headed for the kitchen while the dogs General, and Hunter pounced us in their excitement.  
  
"Down guys." Said Inuyasha. The dogs calmed and sat wagging their tails as we sorted through candy.  
  
"Does someone want mt Almond Joys?" asked Sango.  
  
"YES!" yelled Miroku.  
  
"What will you trade?" asled Sango.  
  
"I'll give you a Butterfinger for it." Said Shippo.  
  
"I'll give you a King Size Hershey bar." Said Miroku.  
  
"Pervert wins." She replied and tossed Miroku the candy.  
  
"How did you get a king size bar Miroku?" asked Shippo.  
  
"That old lady threw it at me when I asked if she had a young granddaughter at home."  
  
"You are such a perv." I said.  
  
@.@ Ouch again for Miroku.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Life is made up of school, sleeping, and .....well that about covers most of it for the average teen.  
  
Although for some average female teens it can be a little different. My friends are a huge part of my world. Especially Inuyasha.  
  
Yet, as I laid in my bed that Halloween night,.... I couldn't help but think about what Kouga said. Me loving Inuyasha, but I only had my secret crush on him for the past few years.  
  
Of course, if an idiot like Kouga had something like this, it could only mean trouble.  
  
Inuyasha was trying to protect me because I didn't like Kouga's posseiveness. Everything agreed with me except that stupid voice at the back of my head. The one that goes. "You can think that but it's not right....". There are times that I really that voice. And if I cant sleep, then it's one of those times.  
  
Kouga said it was over, so I can only hope that my life will go back to the usual before my senior year.  
  
That and I can sleep well knowing that my best friend and I have a completely platonic relationship.  
  
Inuyasha harbors no feelings for me..... right?  
  
Chichiri4488: Wow. I was gone for a while. Sorry!  
  
Shippo: You and your lame excuses.  
  
Chichiri4488: I had exams! Not to mention homework! But today was my last exam!!!!!!!!!! ^___________________^  
  
Shippo: We apologize in her lateness of getting here.  
  
Chichiri4488: Yes I am truly sorry. :( I had exams as I said, or midterms as some know the dreaded tests of doom. And teachers seem to think I like homework cause they just pile it on. But the good news is I got more reviews!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Shippo: No one cares.  
  
Chichiri4488: I care!  
  
Shippo: That doesn't count.  
  
Chichiri4488: ;_; Some of the old reviewers are gone.  
  
Shippo: They don't like you anymore.  
  
Chichiri4488: Why are you so mean?  
  
Shippo: Let's ponder... I'm chained up and stuck with a maniac for one. Two, I cant go home till this story is over and 3, I'm stuck with a crazy woman! -_-  
  
Chichiri4488: Would you like to meet Bob?  
  
Shippo: o.0;;; Bob?  
  
Chichiri4488: Bob the evil goldfish. He's my imaginary friend that lives in my alarm clock. He can be very nice, or not very nice at all. It depends.  
  
Shippo: Help me! She's gone insane!!!!!!!!! **donut package drops on head** What's this?  
  
Chichiri4488: Hmm.... a reviewer sent them. Named Briar. Hay I've heard that name before.... it was in one of my books...oh! Artemis Fowl. Briar was in there. Cool name! Thanks for feeding Shippo!  
  
Shippo: **munches on donut** Some of your reviewers aren't that bad. Thanks pal!!!! ^_^  
  
Chichiri4488: Yay! More review responses!  
  
Briar: I love that movie! The knights of Ni are awesome! Have a cookie for reviewing 3 times! ^_^ Actually, have 3 cookies! Free Shippo chan? He gets to go home once the story is over! ^_^ But I promise he can leave then.  
  
-_-: That's an interesting choice of a pen name. George is from when Kagome had said, "...and by GEORGE I'm not starting now!" and then Miroku couldn't figure out who George was although it's just a saying. Does that make sense? Have a cookie.  
  
Liliacks: I'm glad you like it! Have cookies!  
  
fic fangirl: I love high school fics too, so I tried writing one. It's doing better than I thought! ^_^ have cookies!!!!!!!!  
  
Bebop miroku: I am not stopping this story guaranteed. This fic will continue. (It's just nice to get reviews on it ^_~ ) I hope I cleared it up more for when people are talking for you. Thanks for pointing it out! ^_^  
  
Nibzo: I'm not high on the social ladder either and I'm a HUGE anime freak. Inuyasha rules! It's my favorite. Hey, on a personality test, Sesshomaru is the best you can get! I got him too! ^____^ He's the coolest character.  
  
Shippo: Are you done?  
  
Chichiri4488: Yes I am.  
  
Shippo: Good then we can leave. Thanks again Briar! ^___^ I needed some sugar!  
  
Chichiri4488: Oh! An update. I'm going to try to have a chapter for you guys by next weekend or so. With Christmas it should be easier. Either that or harder @.@  
  
SO!  
  
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Reviews are always welcome in my world. ^-^ 


	8. November is a Time of Thanks

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Shippo: She owns nothing. Except an alarm clock that houses her imaginary friend named Bob.  
  
Chichiri4488: It's not my fault he's sulking in the clock again!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
~November is a Time of Thanks~  
  
After Halloween, Kouga had finally kept some distance. I was free from his torment, but Inuyasha wasn't. Kouga and Inuyasha had become serious rivals over anything and everything.  
  
The 'war' between some of the popular people and...well us, had taken a new level. Pranks were flying in every direction.  
  
To start, Kouga had first taken Inuyasha and Miroku's clothes from their shower rack at the end of their weight lifting class. The clothes had been hung in the girl's locker room and had to be retrieved. Miroku was very happy. Inuyasha and many of the females in the locker room were not. The story had made front page of the school paper to Shippo's dislike.  
  
As retaliation, we had poured honey in the hair gel bottles of the whole football team. Their hair was very sticky during practice. Some had a little trouble taking off their helmets.  
  
Shippo had then rigged it so that vinegar was covering the locker room floor after practice. When the team had all stood in the room, baking soda came down with more vinegar off the ceiling. The receiver is still muttering about suds and bubbles.  
  
More pranks continue to follow. Our school is a WWIII zone. .  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Three minutes and then we let out for the weekend. Thanksgiving weekend. Almost there. Dang! The minute hand was moving backwards! Stupid clock! -_- #  
  
**Ring**  
  
Finally!  
  
After class, Inuyasha and I walked to my car together. Shippo had raced to a vending machine for soda pop, and Miroku and Sango had gone home in Sango's car for a ride home.  
  
"Sango and Miroku are still crushing on each other?" asked Inuyasha suddenly.  
  
"Are you reading my mind again?"  
  
"I hope so." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah. They just don't seem to get that they like each other. A lot." I said.  
  
"We could always fix them up..." said Inuyasha.  
  
"That's a great idea!" yelled Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha and I whipped around. Shippo had stood right between us with out us noticing. I jumped back on reflex and almost hit another student's car.  
  
"Don't pop out of no-where like that!" I yelled.  
  
"I've been walking between you guys for the past 3 minutes. Inuyasha if you didn't notice at least, then that's just bad."  
  
"I was......distracted." Said Inuyasha, "Nice move though!" He and Shippo gave each other a high five and kept walking. I was giving them both a ride home while Inuyasha's car was in the shop.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ja ne Shippo!" I called as he sped off for his front door.  
  
"Ja!" Shippo called back.  
  
I drove off for Inuyasha's home to drop him off when he spoke for the first time during the car ride.  
  
"Hey Kag...You're coming to see a movie tonight, right? Everyone else is already coming."  
  
"Sure Inu. What flick?"  
  
"Maybe we could see some of Trigun tonight."  
  
"Sure. It is one of my favorites after all." I grinned as we pulled up to his house.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks for the ride." He kissed my cheek and got out of the car smiling.  
  
When I had driven out of sight, I leaned back in the seat.  
  
Wow. Inuyasha or even Miroku had kissed me on the cheek before... just as friends....  
  
But with Kouga's words hanging over me....  
  
Dang it.  
  
I just didn't know what I could think sometimes.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Now Kagome, would you choose Vash or Knives as a husband?" asked Shippo.  
  
"Knives. Definitely Knives." Said Sango.  
  
"Why would you pick the evil one?" asked Miroku looking at Sango with curiosity.  
  
And did I sense a hidden feeling of envy? Yes I did.  
  
"Knives, is well....he's hot!" said Sango.  
  
"They're twins!" said Inuyasha. "Who would you pick Kag?"  
  
"Vash if I had to pick." I said, "He's just sweet. Otherwise neither."  
  
"No. Definitely Knives." Said Sango from the couch.  
  
Miroku was pouting in the corner from this.  
  
It was so much fun to watch really.  
  
I looked at Inuyasha and nodded in Miroku's direction. He and Shippo caught on quickly.  
  
"So Miroku, which female from an anime would you pick?" asked Shippo.  
  
Miroku gave us a grin. "There's just so many to choose from... perhaps if you narrowed it down a bit?"  
  
"Pick a female from either Rurouni Kenshin, or Trigun." Said Shippo.  
  
"I don't know." Said Miroku with a daze.  
  
Sango just sat twiddling her thumbs on the couch. She was also glaring at the cushions....  
  
"No character can match up to Sango." Said Miroku.  
  
She sat straight up. And so did I.  
  
Miroku was blushing! Blushing! That pervert friend never blushes, and here he is as red as a tomato!  
  
Sango hauled him to the closet immediately. Inuyasha, Shippo and I were right behind them with our ears to the wall to hear their conversation. So much for privacy.  
  
"What was that comment for!?"  
  
"I'm sorry Sango! It seemed like the right thing to say...."  
  
"For what?! Here you are to make flattering comments in front of everyone for no specific reason that my shocked mind can find right now!"  
  
"Is love a good reason?"  
  
"....... I beg your pardon?"  
  
"I......I think I love a girl named Sango, but I just don't know how to tell her.... can you help me?"  
  
"Miroku...."  
  
The three of us pulled our heads away and looked at each other in shock.  
  
Half of me wanted to say how sweet! The other half wanted to burst out laughing at how corny it was.  
  
We all burst out laughing.  
  
"Well that matchmaking plan didn't take long at all." Said Shippo.  
  
We sat and watched another episode of Trigun, yet they still hadn't come out of the closet.  
  
"Are you two ok in there?" called Inuyasha.  
  
"She still hasn't moved!" called back Miroku.  
  
I couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Sango?! Will you be dating Miroku then?" I yelled.  
  
"I hope so!" shouted Miroku as he opened the door.  
  
Sango finally woke up.  
  
"What what!? I....me and you? Wow." Said Sango.  
  
"Can I take that as a yes my love?" Miroku took her hands and kissed them as they both sat on another couch in the room.  
  
"Wow." Said Sango again. She then pulled Miroku in and kissed him on the lips. She pulled back and met his face.  
  
"Wow."  
  
That was all he could say.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
This November really was just a time of thanks.  
  
Sango and Miroku are now dating. Of course could you expect any less from their performance?  
  
I was thankful that Kouga had stopped pestering me. I also have my 4 best friends, and a family I enjoy being with.  
  
Now I get to be thankful for a large thanksgiving feast with my family and Inuyasha's combined tonight.  
  
(AN: I do realize that the holidays I'm using are American, but stick with me here. I'm doing what I can! It all flows into the storyline so don't worry!)  
  
"Are the rice balls ready Kagome?"  
  
"Hai Mom." I replied.  
  
"Good, I'm almost done with the shrimp and all of the sushi. The oden is on the counter if you want to it on the table."  
  
"Hai hai. Where's Souta?" I asked.  
  
"Playing some new video game that I don't understand." She grinned.  
  
The doorbell had rung as I set the delicious looking shrimp platter and bowl of oden on the table. I opened the front door to see Inuyasha and Sesshomaru standing on the front step.  
  
"Evening Kagome." Said Sesshomaru smiling.  
  
"Hey Kag." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"Welcome to the shrine boys. Food's almost ready." I grinned.  
  
"Inuyasha!" yelled Souta. Souta tackled Inuyasha and ended up being upside down between the brothers. Sesshomaru had his right leg and Inuyasha had his left.  
  
"Put me down!" yelled Souta grinning.  
  
"Not until dinner's ready!" said Inuyasha.  
  
"Dinner is ready!" called my mom.  
  
"Dang. There goes our fun." Said Sesshomaru.  
  
Food! Bless those Americans for coming up with this holiday!  
  
We all sat down at the dinner table along with my mom.  
  
The aroma of the food made me want to drool.  
  
"So Sesshomaru, I hear you've been with a girl from the medical school, right?" my mom asked.  
  
"Yes. We met in our biology class about 2 years ago in the university."  
  
"What's her name?" asked Souta.  
  
"Inori Yakaro."  
  
"Keep a hold on her then, she sounds like a nice girl." My mother smiled at Sesshomaru.  
  
"She is." He blushed, and continued to eat his shrimp and rice.  
  
Sesshomaru can be either the nicest guy, or the one you run away when he glares at you. If he is glaring at you though, I highly suggest you run. And run very quickly.  
  
However Sessh was also a guy who wanted to help people by being a doctor. He also loved kids. It was rare to see him blush, even the small amount he was doing now. I loved these rare moments.  
  
"Should we say what we're thankful for?" asked Souta.  
  
"Wonderful idea!" said my Mom. "Should I start? Ok, I'm thankful for my wonderful family!"  
  
"Why didn't anyone come and get me?" asked Grandpa.  
  
"Sit down you!" ordered my mother. "Go on, what are you thankful for?"  
  
"Food, and family." Said grandpa.  
  
"I'm thankful for technology." Said Souta.  
  
"I'm thankful for the good friends that I have." I said.  
  
"I'm thankful to attend medical school, and know the people that I do." Said Sesshomaru.  
  
We turned to see Inuyasha staring at his plate.  
  
"I'm thankful to have ever known Kagome. And especially to have her as a good friend now." He said. I looked at him, and he smiled at me as we all returned to eating our meals.  
  
The phone started ringing about midway through the dinner.  
  
"Just let the answering machine get it." My mom said.  
  
**beep**  
  
"I know you people! They're coming to take me away ha ha, to the funny farm! Run! Run for your lives! THE ASPARAGUS WILL HAVE NO MERCY!" the voice yelled from the answering machine.  
  
"Who on earth is that!?" shrieked grandpa.  
  
"Shippo." Inuyasha and I said at the same time.  
  
His parents must have given him some sake again for the holiday to celebrate.  
  
Crud. He'd be insane for a while.  
  
"What are you going to do with him?" asked Sesshomaru.  
  
"An asylum at some point." Inuyasha replied.  
  
"He's too insane to go to an asylum." I said.  
  
"They would just make him leave." Said Inuyasha.  
  
"He doesn't know how to read?" asked Grandpa.  
  
"I said he would just have to leave!"  
  
"No need to shout boy, I'm not deaf."  
  
"Grandpa, put your hearing aid in your ear!" yelled mom.  
  
"It is! I just don't want it on!"  
  
"Why not?" asked Sesshomaru.  
  
"He doesn't want to waste the batteries." Said Souta digging into his pie.  
  
My grandpa just stood there proudly as if he was a genius for it.  
  
Then my mother whacked him over the head with a cook book for idiocy.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chichiri4488: I had so much writer's block on this chapter it wasn't even funny.  
  
Shippo: It showed in the story.  
  
Chichiri4488: I have Pocky!  
  
Shippo: 0.0;;; She has sugar! RUN! **Ducks and cowers in corner**  
  
Chichiri4488: Yum! I love pocky. ^__________^  
  
Shippo: **comes out in full battle armor** We apologize again for being a bit late....  
  
Chichiri4488: What's the armor for?  
  
Shippo: You have sugar. I refuse to take any chances with you being hyper. I value my life thank you.  
  
Chichiri4488: oro. @.@  
  
Shippo: You plus sugar equals bad! Very bad!  
  
Chichiri4488: anywho....I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! Or a very merry holiday that you have celebrated! And of course, a happy new year! I am sorry for being late. Right now, I need to read 3 books, I'm learning electric guitar, and Japanese at the same time, and I have small odd jobs in between that I need to complete. My family is here, and there's the matter of my test the day I get back to school. Curses. There's my excuse! GOMEN!!!  
  
So thank you so much to Nibzo, bebop-miroku, Katherine, Neja, Evee, finalfanatic, angelgrl, bluefuzzyelf, Jobie and Briar for reviewing!  
  
Shippo: And of course some responses as well...  
  
bluefuzzyelf: Awesome! The fashion sounds good to me, but I have to say, my fashion sense is about as good as my memory on a road map of Canada. My fashion sense is horrible, and that's an understatement. However, your idea sounds very good! I'll keep it as an idea if I want to go into detail on another dance. As for the friend thing, you can email me anytime. My email and messenger are on my profile page, and that goes for anyone who wants to email or chat with me. I love to hear from people! ^__________^ So thank you very much for your 4 reviews and their commentary! I really appreciate hearing comments and opinions as I read the reviews. Have cookies!!!!!!!!!  
  
Briar: No Miroku doesn't have a horrible childhood of the yellow hat man. But I like your thinking outside the box there on Miroku's past!  
  
Jobie: Of course you can have a cookie! Everybody gets a cookie!  
  
Shippo: Done yet?  
  
Chichiri4488: I apologize on the grammar mistake. It was late, I was tired, and I forgot to edit my chapter like I usually do. GOMEN! I probably still missed some mistakes in this one too. :P  
  
Shippo: Now are you done?  
  
Chichiri4488: Maybe. ^_^ **munches on Pocky**  
  
Shippo: Yay! More reviewers are offering me food!  
  
Chichiri4488: A whole Halloween stash!? 0.0 Dang. He already got into mine....-_-  
  
Shippo: ^^;;;;; I need to grow up big and strong! I'm just a kid!  
  
Chichiri4488: Such lame excuses! IT'S POCKY! ^____________^  
  
Shippo: That was random.... o.0;;  
  
Chichiri4488: I'm a random person.  
  
Chichiri4488: PLEASE review! I like to read them! XD  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	9. Tests of doom and fashion trouble

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Shippo: You're up to 45 reviews!!!!!  
  
Chichiri4488: And they're all good! ^__________^  
  
Shippo: You mean every person that has reviewed so far, has actually liked this story!?  
  
Chichiri4488: Yup. Some even love it! I feel so happy!  
  
Shippo: Now the story could be longer! -_- She owns nothing. Not even a measly rock used in the Inuyasha series.  
  
Chichiri4488: ;_; Do you have to remind me?  
  
Chapter 8  
  
~Tests of doom and fashion trouble...~  
  
"RUN!" yelled Inuyasha.  
  
No need to tell us twice. After school we had all gone to the park to relax. Enjoy ourselves before falling to the homework.  
  
Well............ things turned out a little differently.  
  
Naraku and his gang had jumped us at the park. With paintball guns!  
  
Those hurt! It's so much fun; however without armor or guns, I can promise that it's not so fun.  
  
Paint was flying everywhere. I had been hit with blue paint quite a few times on my jeans. I'm going to have way too many bruises on my legs in the morning.  
  
Yellow hit my shoulder just as I dodged behind a tree.  
  
I jumped into my car after dodging around a tree and hopping over a brick wall. I can be athletic when I need to.  
  
Shippo leaped in followed by Sango. Miroku and Inuyasha had jumped into the car right after and we sped off.  
  
We all burst out laughing, and then howled in pain from the bruises that now covered our sore bodies.  
  
"We need retaliation!" yelled Shippo.  
  
"Rebellion will come in due time," I said. "We just need to wait for a good day for war."  
  
"Sarcastically speaking of course," said Miroku.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Inuyasha started rubbing his head. I looked and saw some red paint had hit the side of his face. Some orange paint decorated on of his ears.  
  
"Oh crap! Are you ok Inuyasha?!" I yelled.  
  
"Daijobu, daijobu." (AN: translation- It's fine/ I'm ok.)  
  
I pulled the car over right away and pulled his head towards mine from where he sat in the front seat. A bruise was already forming where the paint had been scratched off a little bit. His ear was lying against his head and twitching slightly in what I assumed was pain.  
  
"No, this is not fine. You're hurt!" I said.  
  
"It'll be a bruise Kag, it's not a big deal," he said.  
  
I put my hand to his face careful of the sensitive area where the paintball had hit.  
  
"It is a big deal," I said. "I don't want to see you hurt. Ever."  
  
"I'd rather not see you hurt Kagome," Inuyasha replied.  
  
"Ahem!" coughed Sango.  
  
"I hope you realize there are 3 other passengers in the vehicle..." said Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha glared at him and leaned back in his seat while I began to drive off from the side of the road.  
  
"Kagome, others of us are injured as well you know," said Miroku.  
  
"Are you all ok?" I asked.  
  
"You don't sound as caring as when you asked Inuyasha," grinned Shippo like the Cheshire cat.  
  
"Perhaps Kagome and Inuyasha should spend a little more time with each other......... alone," said Miroku.  
  
I could tell my face was red. It was probably beyond a deep blood looking red blush as well. I kept my eyes on the road and drove as fast as I could toward their homes, so I could get back home as quickly as possible.  
  
I dropped off Miroku and Shippo first, and then Inuyasha right after.  
  
"Kagome! That was hilarious!" Sango said rocking back and forth with laughter.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked.  
  
"Inuyasha's face was as red as yours after Shippo and Miroku's comments! You should of seen the look on his face."  
  
"Sango-chan.....I....it was just embarrassment of getting hurt with the paint or something. You know he likes to act tough sometimes." I said.  
  
"No Kag. I think Inu might like you....and I know someone who likes him...."  
  
Her grin was too large and vibrant.  
  
Things were adding up.  
  
I was treading into dangerous territory with my friends.  
  
"Are you guys trying to fix us up!?" I yelled.  
  
"Maybe. If I was then would I say so?"  
  
"Yup. Definitely trying to. Miroku and Shippo are in on this too I bet."  
  
"Maybe. I reveal nothing though. However, Miroku had a brilliant idea to do for New Years Eve," said Sango.  
  
"Well then, what is the pervert's brilliant idea?" I asked.  
  
"But he's a sweet pervert."  
  
"Yes, I'll give you that. So what's the plan?" I asked.  
  
"Well, he's going to run it through with Shippo and Inuyasha, but he was thinking along the lines of a small road trip to Kyoto. They are having that festival this year, and the fireworks are supposed to be incredible. What do you think?"  
  
"I think our friend just came up with a masterpiece. However, we will need to have some form of entertainment in the car. Shippo gets bored to easily for pleasure sometimes."  
  
"Miroku's guardian Mushin said yes, so now we just need everyone else's agreement."  
  
"What did your dad say Sango?"  
  
"I can only go if you're going."  
  
"That can be expected. Mama will most likely say yes if she knows Inuyasha will be there."  
  
"Sesshomaru might come too, since he's off school and all," said Sango.  
  
"Ok then. With both of them there, I guarantee I'm allowed to go," I smiled.  
  
This would be a fun New Years Eve.  
  
Now we just have to get through exams to enjoy our Christmas break........  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What type of government is run in America and what are the 3 branches of that government?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
Exams were here. The evil tests of doom had descended upon us.  
  
Now we relied on our study guides....  
  
"A democracy. And there's judicial, uhh..... ah! Brain lock! What is it!?" yelled Sango.  
  
"You're thinking too hard." said Shippo.  
  
"It's judicial, legislative, and executive," said Miroku.  
  
"Oh! I knew that one!" I said.  
  
Stupid World Government class. Too much material to cover.  
  
"Next question goes to Inuyasha!" said Shippo, "Who was considered the first dictator in Rome? Then name at least 2 famous dictatorships in history."  
  
"Easy. Julius Caesar. Then there was Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, and also Adolph Hitler over Germany who became dictator of Germany in 1933."  
  
"Smarty Pants." I said.  
  
"Takes one to know one," Inuyasha replied, "You're up next Kag. It's Calculus time."  
  
"Oh crap," said Sango.  
  
"Ditto," I said. "Ok, what's the question?"  
  
"Explain Euler's Theorems and name 2 of the Integration Formulas."  
  
"The study guides always seem harder than they are in the exams though," I said, "Right?"  
  
"Kag, this is Onigumo. This is 100 question multiple choice and 40 short answers in about 2 hours time," said Sango.  
  
Oh crap I'm doomed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I need this Christmas break. I am on the verge of mental breakdowns if I do not get to the Christmas break, and soon!  
  
It was the last day of exams.  
  
Actually, it was after exams because everyone had finished the anatomy exam early. So now we sat here for an extra hour in class until they would let us out of the school.  
  
However, I think Kaede-sensei needed this break more than the students.......  
  
"Let the children out! EXMAS ARE OVER! LET THE CHILDREN GO!" she cried. She was even pounding her fists against the door as if she was trapped. "Release the students! I want to go home! FREEDOM!"  
  
Kaede gave up and sat down at her desk where she glared at the clock on the wall.  
  
Everyone else just kind of returned to their previous conversations.  
  
"It's almost Christmas break!" I cheered.  
  
"If the stupid bell would just ring," Inuyasha said. "There's only 10 minutes left of school anyway, just let us out!"  
  
*Ring*  
  
"Yay! Inuyasha speaks school bell!" shouted Nazuna.  
  
"I think she's seen Finding Nemo a few too many times..." Inuyasha whispered.  
  
Everyone rushed to the door and screams of joy echoed through the halls.  
  
"Ja ne Kaede-sensei!" I called.  
  
"Ja," she replied. Then I heard her mutter "Only three more years until retirement..."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Please Mama?" I asked.  
  
"It's fine with me. Now, Sesshomaru is the chaperone for this road trip right?" she questioned as she folded the laundry.  
  
"Hai! He's chaperoning and Inuyasha will be there along with Sango and Miroku, and Shippo!"  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Mama....."  
  
"It's fine, it's fine," she said, "But if anything starts acting up or something happens, then you call me right away!"  
  
"It's 4 days Mama. We'll be fine!" I assured her.  
  
I heard the phone ring as I started to walk towards the stairs.  
  
"Kagome! It's for you!" yelled Souta.  
  
"I got it!" I called while picking up the phone in my room.  
  
"Hello?" I asked.  
  
"Kagome! CAN YOU COME!? Can you? Can you? Can you?"  
  
"Yes Sango, I can come. Just how much sugar have you had? You're bouncing off the walls!"  
  
"I got a 100% on my Exam in computer graphing!" she yelled.  
  
"Sango, shock me. You're a tech genius, did you think you were going to do horribly?"  
  
"Kagome, it's me. I always fret on tests," said Sango.  
  
"So you can go now? Right?" I asked.  
  
"Yup! Hey! Can you come over here and help me?"  
  
"With what?" I asked.  
  
"I have a date with Miroku, and I have no clue on what to do."  
  
"Sango-chan, I'm not the best person with knowledge in this...." I muttered.  
  
"Well if both us are bad at it, then maybe we'll cancel each other out and come up with something good," she replied.  
  
"It's worth a shot. I'll be over soon."  
  
"Thank you so much Kagome!"  
  
"No problem. Ja ne."  
  
"Ja."  
  
I hung up the phone and grabbed my car keys off the counter.  
  
"Ja mama! I'll be at Sango's for a bit!"  
  
"Bye honey! Drive safely!"  
  
I jumped into my car and sped off for Sango's house.  
  
It was Saturday the day after exams. I had no plans; except practice guitar, and relax, relax, relax. Throw in a few Christmas cookies as well. That was Christmas break.  
  
I was not the person you went to for fashion, romance, etc. I stunk in this area. Just look at my past.  
  
I'm a senior. Never dated. Never had my first kiss. I've never even been asked out before, even as a joke. Kouga was the first guy I have ever known to take some romantic interest in me.  
  
As far as I can tell, those aren't the best stats for someone my age.  
  
Even my brother has a girlfriend, and he's 11!!!  
  
Is it just me, or is this somewhat pathetic?  
  
And that was Sango's house I just passed. I really do need to pay closed attention to my surroundings......  
  
I took a U-turn and parked by her driveway.  
  
Her little brother Kohaku opened the front door led me into the kitchen.  
  
"Sango, Kagome-san is here."  
  
"Thanks Kohaku. Just finish up your paper before Dad gets home."  
  
"Hai. I will."  
  
Sango smiled at me and stood from the table. We walked back towards her room to see what we could come up with.  
  
"Thanks again for coming Kag. I have no idea what to do! He's taking me to that new sushi bar, the really expensive one, and I want to give him his Christmas present, and-"  
  
"Sango! Calm down. It's ok, just deep breaths."  
  
"Hai, hai," she said and opened up her closet.  
  
We both stood there staring for about 5 minutes before I spoke up.  
  
"I don't think either one of us has a clue as what to do," I said.  
  
"I'm calling for backup," Sango replied reaching for her phone.  
  
"Hey sis! I need help real quick!" said Kohaku walking into the room.  
  
"Ask Kagome Kohaku, I need to make a call."  
  
"What's the paper on grasshopper?"  
  
He glared at me for using his dad's nickname for him, but spoke anyway. "I have to write a paper on someone important in my life, so I chose Sango."  
  
"Ok then, what's the problem?"  
  
"I have to write about her life, and some people in her life," he continued, "So, how do you spell pervert?"  
  
I laughed while Sango just kept glaring at the phone trying to remember the phone number she was dialing.  
  
"You spell it, M-I-R-O-K-U," I said grinning.  
  
Then the phone impacted with my head from Sango's direction.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chichiri4488: I'm so happy with my reviews and reviewers recently! You guys rock! Have cookies!  
  
Shippo: Who are they calling for back up on fashion and date help?  
  
Chichiri4488: ^______^ you'll find out soon. Next chapter soon, so stick around! I try to update either Friday nights, or Saturday nights. Sunday nights at latest.  
  
Oh! Also, I want to know, do you guys want to meet Inori (Sesshomaru's girlfriend) or not? I can bring her in or leave her out. You choose and let me know in the review please!  
  
Shippo: **munches on Pocky** this is good. ^_^  
  
Chichiri4488: 0.0 ...... ;_; that was my last pocky........  
  
Shippo: ^^;;; Oops. Sorry.  
  
Chichiri4488: **faints**  
  
Shippo: Chichiri? Chichiri? Hello? Oh well.  
  
Thank you so much to Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet, bluefuzzyelf, Phantom Phire, hanyougal34, inu-kag fan, Nibzo, and Vampire-Elf for reviewing!  
  
Remember, the more reviews, the faster the chapters and there won't be any worries of a stopped story, unlike her other one that has almost no reviewers.......  
  
PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! See ya next time readers.  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	10. Spies, Bushes, and Go Karts

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Chichiri4488: No one responded to my question about Inori in the last authors note.  
  
Shippo: Not many seem to read the author notes.  
  
Chichiri4488: Well why do the readers think I write them here?!  
  
Shippo: Entertainment purposes I guess. You must not be doing a very good job.  
  
Chichiri4488: Oi. -_-;;;  
  
Chapter 9  
  
~ Spies, Bushes, and Go Karts~  
  
"That hurt Sango-chan," I said putting the ice pack to my head. Having her phone collide with my skull was not on my agenda for the day.  
  
"Your joke was cruel."  
  
"But funny!" I said.  
  
"Fine. It was funny, but cruel nonetheless." She said pulling out two cokes from the fridge. She put them in front of me with a bag of chips from the pantry.  
  
"Wait. Who did you call for back up anyway?" I asked sipping on the coke.  
  
"The only person I could think of."  
  
"You don't mean-"  
  
"Yes. I called..........him."  
  
My eyes widened as the doorbell rang. Sango was desperate if she wanted fashion and date tips this badly. Will we come out of this alive? I can hope.  
  
I looked to see Kohaku lead in Shippo.  
  
"I am here to serve Miss Sango," he said. "Lead me to the problem."  
  
I rolled my eyes at Shippo and Sango led him to her room. We both stood on each end of the closet watching him. Shippo held his hand under his chin in deep thought.  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Shippo.  
  
"To the New Sushi Bar close to the mall," Sango replied.  
  
"The expensive one!?" he yelled.  
  
"I think so," she blushed.  
  
"Figures! Both of you are on your first real date and both are clueless! He wants to impress you by taking you somewhere nice apparently. Well then I have my work cut out for me!"  
  
"What exactly should we do for her?" I asked.  
  
"Anything and everything. But first the clothes!"  
  
Shippo started pulling out everything from the closet. He'd look at the cloth and then throw it to the floor. Sango's closet was almost empty pretty soon.  
  
"Sango! Everything is jeans and t-shirts! Aren't there things for special occasions? Dresses or skirts? Something?  
  
"Yeah, there's a blouse and a skirt that you threw down long ago!" said Sango.  
  
"We need fancy! Not to fancy, but fancy!" he said throwing another shirt to the floor. Then his eyes bulged out. "What is that?" he asked.  
  
"That's the dress my dad gave me as a 'good grade' gift back in spring."  
  
Shippo ran and hugged Sango then he grabbed me as well.  
  
It was one big group hug where I couldn't even breathe.  
  
"It's perfect!" he yelled, "Positively wonderfully perfect!"  
  
"It's just a dress!" Sango squeaked from his arms next to me.  
  
He let us both go and we gasped for precious air.  
  
"Just a dress!? My friend that is a wonderful black dress that is perfect for your figure and the silver dragons on the side only aid to your fiery beauty!"  
  
"You're scaring us here Shippo," I said.  
  
"Put it on! Put it on! We have yet to do your hair and make up!" Shippo said pushing Sango out the door towards the bathroom.  
  
"Make up!?" yelled Sango, "I do not wear make up!"  
  
"You will, and you'll like it!"  
  
"No! Kagome! Save me!"  
  
"Gomen Sango-chan," I muttered.  
  
"Traitor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she yelled.  
  
I am so dead when she comes out of there.  
  
Shippo forced Sango into the bathroom where she finally locked the door to change. She was still yelling at him through the door though as we walked back over to me.  
  
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I asked Shippo.  
  
"Of course I do! I picked up everything I know from right up here," he grinned and pointed to his head.  
  
"We're doomed."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I have to hand it to you Shippo," said Sango, "You did a fantastic job!"  
  
"Well it is me," he replied arrogantly. I hit him in the shoulder as he grinned at me.  
  
Sango's dress had small sleeves and went down slightly passed her knees. Shippo had made her wear some light make up, and her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.  
  
Shippo and I did a pretty good job. ^________^  
  
I heard the doorbell ring as I looked at Sango one last time.  
  
"That'll be Miroku," she muttered nervously.  
  
"We'll get an entrance read for you," I said leading Shippo to the front door.  
  
Miroku stood there in a black silk dress shirt, unbuttoned slightly to the white shirt underneath. Black dress pants were worn as well. He looked right spiffy!  
  
"Kagome? Shippo? What are you doing here?"  
  
"You so owe me Miroku," said Shippo.  
  
"Anyway!" I said, "Presenting Miss Sango!"  
  
Sango came down the stairs nervously while Miroku's jaw dropped inch by inch.  
  
I took his chin and clamped his mouth shut while he continued to stare at Sango. She just blushed and seemed to find the rug colors very intriguing.  
  
"I love you Shippo," muttered Miroku staring at Sango. Her blush deepened as she met his eyes.  
  
"Whoa! You're taking her out, not me," muttered Shippo.  
  
I smacked his head while the other two walked out arm in arm.  
  
"Abuse!"  
  
"Shut up Shippo," I muttered, "Are you ready?"  
  
"It's spy time," he grinned.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I crept along the side of the restaurant to turn my mirror towards the front doors.  
  
"Target is proceeding toward the entrance," I whispered.  
  
"Perfect," Shippo grinned.  
  
"Why are we doing this again?" questioned Inuyasha.  
  
"We have nothing else to do, not to mention we need to make sure they're doing fine on their date."  
  
"Quiet! They're at their table! Move in," Shippo whispered.  
  
We walked around to the back and crept over by the back doors to the kitchen. Everything was according to plan as we prepared to sneak in the back and sit at a table close to Miroku's if we could. There was only one problem.  
  
"It's locked!" squeaked Shippo trying to pry the doors open.  
  
"It'd be easy to break down, but I honestly don't want to buy a new door AND explain breaking and entering laws to cops," I said.  
  
"I couldn't agree more," said Inuyasha.  
  
"We'll have to try the front door," I muttered.  
  
"I'll go first. They'll let me in knowing who I am," said Shippo.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Act famous, maybe they'll believe me. Or I could outsmart them," he replied.  
  
"If you fail, it's up to plan C," I said.  
  
"What's plan C?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"We wing it."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Inuyasha and I watched as Shippo strolled into the sushi bar. He was walking with his arms swinging wide around, and looked drunk rather than 'famous'.  
  
We also heard the conversation he tried to carry.  
  
"Hello my good sir, I would like a single table for myself please," said Shippo with an accent.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but you must have a reservation."  
  
"Reservation!? Don't you know who I am?" Shippo yelled.  
  
"Who sir?"  
  
Nice job Shippo.  
  
"Brad Pitt?"  
  
You have got to be kidding me.  
  
"Who sir?"  
  
"Brad Pitt! He's- I mean I'm an actor! I famous actor from America!"  
  
He had to use actors from America.  
  
I saw the waiter guy just giving a look of pure boredom directed at Shippo.  
  
"Fine then. I didn't want to reveal this, but I'm actually Matt Damon."  
  
"Well then Mr. Damon I'm sorry to report that I have to have security remove you."  
  
"No wait! You see I'm Mel Gibson perhaps?" Shippo questioned.  
  
"How about you be Mr. Runs-like-his-pants-are-on-fire?"  
  
"Dude, that was lame." Said Shippo with a raised eyebrow.  
  
The guy glared at him and Shippo ran out the door towards us.  
  
"That guy was mean," said Shippo brushing his arms off.  
  
"That was trying to outsmart him?" grinned Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh shut up," he scowled, "Everyone has an off day."  
  
"Oh crap," muttered Inuyasha. I followed his gaze towards the parking lot.  
  
Oh crap.  
  
"Hide!" said Inuyasha grabbing me around the waist and back into the alley unseen.  
  
Shippo scrambled up beside us.  
  
"Yeah sure, grab the girl!"  
  
Sesshomaru, and the girl I assumed was Inori were walking up to the entrance of the restaurant.  
  
"Now what?" asked Shippo. "We either get seen by Sesshomaru which will probably ruin his date and have him hang us later, or Miroku and Sango see us. Either way we die."  
  
"He's right you know." I said to Inuyasha.  
  
"I guarantee Sesshomaru will do more than hang us. He hasn't been able to see Inori in a while cause of their classes. We'd be tortured, then killed in horrible disgusting ways of doom and terror."  
  
"Like the furby dolls," muttered Shippo. His eyes went wide. "Not furbies! Anything but a furby! Wasn't my past corrupted with those things enough to ban them from the earth!"  
  
I looked at Inuyasha questioningly but he just muttered 'Long Story'. So I shrugged and came up with a brilliant idea if I do say so myself.  
  
"I say we enjoy ourselves for the evening," I said.  
  
Inuyasha then got his own brilliant idea.  
  
"Let's hit the go kart track," Inuyasha grinned.  
  
Yes! Go karts are fun! Slightly expensive but so much fun!  
  
"I second that!" I said.  
  
"I also agree, however even if I didn't we only have 3 people, and 2 out of 3 makes it unanimous," said Shippo.  
  
"Just say yes Shippo." Inuyasha muttered.  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
"I call shotgun!" I yelled diving into Inuyasha's car.  
  
"Can I drive?" asked Shippo.  
  
"No," said Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh come on!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Please!?"  
  
"No."  
  
"But I-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"One, I said so, two, it's my car, and three, I feel making it home alive tonight," said Inuyasha.  
  
"How about I drive, and you still make it home alive?" Shippo questioned.  
  
"I also want myself and my car home in one piece."  
  
I honked the horn at them.  
  
"I have a low attention span! The argument is not exactly keeping me occupied!"  
  
"PMS Kag?" asked Shippo jumping into the car.  
  
"No, I haven't had any sugar today actually," I grinned. "That's why I'm getting soda pop at the go kart track."  
  
"I'll buy us some dinner there," said Inuyasha shrugging.  
  
"You don't have to do that Inuyasha," I said.  
  
"I know I don't have to, but I want to," he replied.  
  
"I don't want you to feel to feel the want to buy me a meal," I said.  
  
"Too bad, because I'm buying you dinner."  
  
"Am I going to get fed on this trip?" asked Shippo.  
  
"I'm buying all around, get over it," said Inuyasha.  
  
I sat back and sighed, "Thank you Inuyasha."  
  
He smiled me as the car pulled forward towards the track.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shippo sped right by Inuyasha and I from our spot at the small restaurant at the go-kart track.  
  
The place had a huge track that ran right by the 'restaurant' area. It was also interesting to know a place like this. You had to have a membership and pay when you came. When you signed up you had to have at least a driver's permit and take one of their tests as well as a form on dangers of crashing.  
  
Right now Shippo was cruising the track for the next hour. Inuyasha and I had each had half an hour on the track and were ready to eat. Shippo had eaten and was now hitting the track to see how many times he could really circle the track in an hour. He was up to 3 times in 15 minutes out of his hour. That was pretty good since it was a big track.  
  
Inuyasha sat at the table pushing fries and a hamburger towards me as he dug into his own. I took a sip of my soda and picked up a fry.  
  
Cholesterol would be the death of me. Oh well.  
  
"Food good?" he asked.  
  
"Of course it is. So how come you wouldn't let Shippo drive?"  
  
"It was my car, and I felt like sitting next to you," he replied.  
  
"It was a rhetorical question, but why did you want to sit by me all of a sudden from one car ride," I asked looking at my burger.  
  
"Is it wrong to want to sit by someone?"  
  
"No. I was just curious if it was for a specific reason," I muttered.  
  
"Should it be for a specific reason?" he asked looking towards the track.  
  
"You tell me," I said.  
  
"Well I-"  
  
"They took me off the track!" yelled Shippo jumping into the seat next to me and Inuyasha. "They said I broke the speed limit!"  
  
"How far over were you?" asked Inuyasha quickly.  
  
"About 26 miles over," Shippo muttered in his pout. "They said I was hazard in a car to anyone that enjoyed life."  
  
"This is why I don't let you drive," grinned Inuyasha.  
  
I just kept looking at my hamburger. I couldn't even tell if I was blushing at all, and if I was I don't know why. That conversation had felt very uncomfortable and I wanted to praise and strangle Shippo at the same time. I need to talk to Sango. Christmas was only 2 days away.......  
  
Chichiri4488: I'm late again!  
  
Shippo: And yet you're still going through that large homework pile.  
  
Chichiri4488: This was a lucky chance, I thought this chapter might have to be moved till Sunday night or sometime next week. .;;;  
  
Shippo: Though the chapter was slightly longer than usual. Not really, but still slightly.  
  
Chichiri4488: Yeah, again lucky. I haven't had the best week. Forgive me reviewers!  
  
Shippo: Thanks to those that have interestingly enough stayed with us.  
  
Chichiri4488: Extra cookies for loyal reviewers!!!!!!!!!! ^______^  
  
Shippo: Cookie!  
  
Chichiri4488: Again, no one answered my question if they wanted to meet Inori or not. Do you people?  
  
Shippo: There are these things you need to get done as well. **hands Chichiri a long list**  
  
Chichiri4488: -_-;;; Ok. I need help on only a couple of these though. First- I want to attract more readers so therefore I am changing the prologue because I think it needs to be written better and help bring in readers so they might get a tad more interested. However, I want to know if you guys think I should change the summary of the story. Or is it already good so that more people will read it? And my previous question, Do you want to meet Inori?  
  
Shippo: Anything else?  
  
Chichiri4488: Sleep.... anime.... food.... ow...and that stupid list of things to do.  
  
Shippo: ^^;;;; we'll be back as soon as we can!  
  
Chichiri4488: I'm trying here! The car trip is coming soon! Probably the next chapter! Review please! If no one does then I wonder why I'm even taking my time to write this. Please review if you read!  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	11. Christmas Spirit and No Goodbyes

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Shippo: I'm happy to say that Chichiri owns positively nothing. Yet she fell asleep and wont wake up...  
  
Chichiri4488: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......  
  
Shippo: So now.........I'm left ALONE here! -_-;;  
  
Chichiri4488: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........dancing Kirby....  
  
Shippo: o.0;;;  
  
Chapter 9  
  
~ Christmas Spirit and No Goodbyes ~  
  
A bag of candy for Shippo, the cat from Trigun plushy for Sango, and a new manga for Miroku.  
  
Christmas shopping had come at last.  
  
Last, but not least, I had gotten a fanged necklace for Inuyasha. It was a rosary that I had seen him eyeing at a store would had walked by at one point, but he hadn't bought it. So I had, and I wrapped it up 2 weeks ago for him now.  
  
My gifts were all wrapped tight for my friends as I waited for Miroku to pick me up. He was supposed to drive us to the café we were all meeting at. Hot chocolate on their cozy couches as we opened our gifts early Christmas eve. Then we'd race off home to spend the rest of the evening with our families and Christmas morning. We might call each other up to say what we got and stuff.  
  
Except for Miroku. He loved sharing some of Christmas with us, but he didn't celebrate Christmas in the first place. It was hilarious to see him dressed as Santa for a job and proclaiming about Buddha to the entire mall last year. I still have the picture too.  
  
I saw Miroku pull up to the Shrine as I jumped into his car.  
  
"You're late," I frowned.  
  
"Where's your Christmas spirit?" he pouted.  
  
"It's hiding."  
  
"Behind your grin or the sarcasm in your voice?"  
  
"You're too weird," I replied.  
  
"But you love me anyway," he grinned.  
  
"I don't know how Sango stands you sometimes."  
  
"Is this Christmas, or insult the driver night?"  
  
"I'm done. I'm sorry," I frowned, "Please forgive me?"  
  
"You're ridiculous Kag-chan," he said.  
  
"But you love me anyway," I grinned.  
  
"How does Inuyasha stand you?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Whatever you want to interpret it as," he said.  
  
I smacked him on the head, which wasn't the best idea since he was driving. We swerved and barely missed a stop sign, 2 other cars, (one parked and the other moving), not to mention a pedestrian with their dog.  
  
"Can you hit me after the car parks next time?" Miroku asked eyes wide, "I want to live long enough to see my own children."  
  
"Sure," I said my whole body pressed against the seat in a bit of shock.  
  
I'll be sure to remember that car rule for a while.....  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sango, Shippo, and Inuyasha sat on the couches already drinking hot chocolate, or in Sango's case tea.  
  
Miroku walked over to sit by Sango and then kissed her cheek before handing out his gifts. We all then distributed our gifts as I sat next to Inuyasha on his couch. Shippo was in an armchair next to me.  
  
"Merry Christmas my friends!" I said smiling brightly.  
  
"Happy Christmas," said Shippo nodding.  
  
"Despite my Buddhist ways, I say Merry Christmas to all!" said Miroku. He put his arm around Sango as he kissed her softly again on the cheek. Sango smiled and leaned her head onto his shoulder.  
  
We all unwrapped our presents to the different gifts and trinkets that we had given to each other. Miroku had given me a new sketch pad since my old had filled up. Sango had given me a manga, while Shippo had given me a card with a lollipop inside. Inuyasha handed me a card that read on friendship and to have a loving Christmas. I smiled at him while he opened his own gift, as did the others.  
  
"What exactly will we be doing in Kyoto for the road trip?" asked Shippo.  
  
"There's a festival, and we can watch the fireworks display that night. The day before that we can tour Kyoto a bit and just do some shopping and hanging out I guess," said Miroku. "Then the day after we can hit a museum or something."  
  
"Sounds good," said Shippo. "I'll just be sure to bring a ton of sugar and my game-boy."  
  
"Oh dear me, we're doomed," said Inuyasha.  
  
"Sesshomaru is coming right?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, he has time off work, and Inori might come. Her schedule is packed with concerts and school and stuff," said Inuyasha.  
  
"Concerts?"  
  
"Inori and her two best friends Shira, and Mayonaka play together in a band type thing. They play rock on guitars, and they also play classical instruments like violin, viola or cello and stuff," said Inuyasha. "They're good at it to."  
  
"I suppose with their knowledge of music that it wouldn't be too hard for a gig of some sort?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Actually," said Inuyasha, "They can get us a gig at a concert for youth bands. If we want that is."  
  
"Aren't those things a tad expensive for an entrance fee?" asked Sango.  
  
"Not when your brothers girlfriend's best friend is dating the son of the owner of the building," said Inuyasha.  
  
"Man, talk about extended connections," muttered Shippo.  
  
"How much of a discount will this 'connection' get us?" I asked.  
  
"Half price."  
  
"Crud," said Miroku.  
  
"That's cheap!" exclaimed Sango.  
  
"Precisely," said Inuyasha. "So are we in or out?"  
  
"When is it?" I asked.  
  
"February. Late February I think. Could be around the middle of February," said Inuyasha.  
  
"I'm in," said Miroku.  
  
"Definitely," said Sango.  
  
"Heck ya!" said Shippo.  
  
I looked at Inuyasha. "You know my answer," I said smiling.  
  
"Then we'll do it," grinned Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh crud!" yelled Sango suddenly. "I have to be home in 3 minutes. Literally!"  
  
"I'll drive you," said Miroku.  
  
"Wait up! I still need a lift!" yelled Shippo running towards the door.  
  
Miroku turned towards me as Sango and Shippo exited waving their goodbyes.  
  
"Kagome, I'm taking Sango and Shippo home now. Do you mind getting a ride with Yash?" asked Miroku.  
  
"If it's ok with you Yasha?" I asked.  
  
"Of course it is," he gulped.  
  
Was it me or was he nervous about something....?  
  
"I can get a ride with Miroku if it's too much of an inconvenience..." I said.  
  
"Kag, you're right on the way. I'd love to take you home, don't worry."  
  
I turned back to tell Miroku I had a ride, but he was already driving off with Sango and Shippo.  
  
That's a short attention span for ya.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Inuyasha and I drove towards the shrine in an almost silence. Snow fell around the car as I stared out the window.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Honestly, I have no idea," I answered. "But why do you seem so nervous?"  
  
"I'm not nervous," he muttered.  
  
"Inuyasha, you have a death grip on the steering wheel, and you seem paranoid."  
  
"No, I'm fine," he said, "Really, I'm just fine."  
  
Something was wrong, but I wasn't going to know anytime soon as to what it was.  
  
"Yes, oh yes, I'm just fine. Completely fine. I can do anything, and I'm ok," he continued muttering.  
  
"If you are 'fine' then should I call the asylum?" I grinned.  
  
"Yes you should, I've been meaning to put you back in for a while now. I'm sure the staff would love to hear that you've called them," said Inuyasha with his cocky grin.  
  
"Smarty," I said smiling.  
  
He winked at me. "As if there was any doubt."  
  
"Oh I guarantee there was doubt."  
  
"Ouch Kag-chan! Why do you mock me?"  
  
"Because you mock me," I answered.  
  
"So what happens if I jump off a bridge?" asked Inuyasha frowning slightly.  
  
"How high is the bridge? A plank over a creek, or 50 miles over a canyon type thing?"  
  
"Smarty."  
  
"You know it!" I said grinning my head off.  
  
His car pulled up to the shrine steps. I was surprised when he parked and started to get out too.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked.  
  
"I thought I'd walk you up," he said. Was he blushing? "I'll leave if you don't-"  
  
"No! I'm sorry Yasha, it's just unusual to have someone actually take their time to walk me up all the steps."  
  
"Well there are quite a few," he said smiling.  
  
"You get used to them all," I said shrugging.  
  
We started up the steps. Between my crush on him, being alone, walking together, and the tense silence.... I felt really awkward. And I wasn't sure if awkward was a good or bad feeling.  
  
Right now I just wanted the steps to keep going so we could continue to walk together. I suppose my legs would get painful if that happened though.  
  
If someone looked at us, they might wonder if we were dating. Inuyasha was walking right next to me! I don't know why these feelings decide to come up now........  
  
I want to tell him that I really like him. But I'm a coward who's too scared of rejection. What if he just wants to be friends? What if after that he avoids me? What if-  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
That was my name right? Oh! He did. Oh! answer back, right!  
  
"Huh!?"  
  
My brain is barely ahead of my mouth right now.  
  
We reached the top of the steps. He grasped my hand and led me over to the Goshinboku. I blushed, but luckily he didn't see me, as he was looking the other way. He stopped and turned so that we faced each other.  
  
"I never got to give you your gift," he said quietly.  
  
"Umm ok," I said nervously.  
  
I couldn't feel my feet! The snow on the ground was freezing. He pulled a small parcel out of his pocket. Bright red wrapping paper, and a white bow decorated it.  
  
I carefully opened the package to not rip the paper. A white box sat in my hand now, and I proceeded to open it.  
  
Oh my.  
  
A golden necklace sat in the box. A crescent moon attached. It looked brand new, but yet so familiar.  
  
"It was my mothers," Inuyasha spoke softly. "I want you to have it."  
  
"Inuyasha, I-"  
  
"No. Take it, you're the only one I would want to have it."  
  
"Thank you so much. But....Why me?" I asked looking him straight in the eye.  
  
Silence ensnared us as we kept staring at each other. It was so hard to try and look away from his piercing eyes.  
  
He breathed in deeply, "Kagome- I..... I-"  
  
He pushed his lips to mine quickly but softly before pulling back and running straight for the shrine steps.  
  
The necklace still firmly grasped in my hand.  
  
The snow still falling softly around me.  
  
Goshinboku's branches swayed softly as I stood there.  
  
The touch of his lips on mine still fresh in my memory.  
  
My shock had yet to fade away.  
  
My first kiss......  
  
I turned around but he was long gone.  
  
Why can't I tell him how I feel?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Wake up!!!!!!!!!! Santa came!!!!!!!!!" yelled Souta his words echoing through the house.  
  
I looked towards my alarm clock. 5:47 AM. Wow. I got to sleep in this year.  
  
The events of yesterday were still in my mind.  
  
I was so happy that it was Inuyasha who had given me my first kiss.  
  
But I was hurt that he had run off.  
  
Was there something wrong with me? Was the kiss out of pity, or friendship? I certainly hoped not.  
  
"Kagome! Come look! Come look at the gifts!"  
  
"I'm coming Souta!" I said before dragging myself out of bed. I really didn't want to leave the warmth.....  
  
I came down to my mom sitting on the couch by my grandfather who had fallen asleep. She was smiling down at Souta who was ripping through the packages for all his new things.  
  
I had received a new CD, 2 mangas, and I had gotten a new portable CD player! Yes yes yes! My stocking was even filled with POCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy.  
  
"Waffles are in the kitchen!" my mom called to us.  
  
It's 6 in the morning and we're eating waffles, juice, and Christmas cookies. Life is good on Christmas morning.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
That night I kept waiting for Inuyasha to call, email me, or something! He always does on Christmas night. It was already 11 PM. I sat online hoping for the phone beside me to ring, or for an email to come up. Neither happened.  
  
And I was too scared to contact him.  
  
I didn't know what I would say.  
  
What was I going to do on the trip? I couldn't avoid him the entire time. I had 4 days until the trip. We were leaving early on the 30th, and we'd leave the morning of the 2nd of January.  
  
I could only hope he'd call me sometime before then.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
He never did call though.  
  
Miroku picked me up in a huge van. I threw my duffel bag in the back and climbed in. Sango was there up front while Miroku drove. Shippo was sitting playing on his game boy. I sat down as the car sped off for Inuyasha's home.  
  
"Are you okay Kagome?" asked Sango.  
  
"Yeah, just fine," I said staring at the car floor.  
  
"Don't lie to us Kag-chan," said Miroku.  
  
"No, I'm fine. Really," I said. They looked at each other but didn't press the issue. I was thankful that they didn't.  
  
We arrived at Inuyasha's where he and Sesshomaru stood on the driveway. However, a girl was standing next to them. So that was Inori....  
  
Since we weren't dodging behind buildings this time, I actually got a good look at her. Now I noticed she had silver/white hair like Sesshomaru. I also noticed she had the dog ears like Inuyasha did. That was a shocker.  
  
"All aboard!" called Miroku.  
  
Sesshomaru, and Inori sat down, while Inuyasha, Shippo and I took up the back seats. Shippo was between Inuyasha and I.  
  
"Why am I sitting between the love birds?" asked Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha bonked him on the head. He looked to me and we both turned away quickly, as a blush rose on my cheeks.  
  
This would be a long car ride.......  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Shippo: So you know, the characters of Inori, Mayonaka, and Shira belong to Chichiri4488. Somehow they have a contract and I don't..... -_-;;;;  
  
I think you'll see them later on.  
  
Thank you reviewers! Have cookies!!!!!!! Chichiri appreciates the reviews! She tried extra hard and missed some sleep just to get this to you! That's all then! bye bye!  
  
Chichiri4488: Zzzzzzzzzz..... huh? I'm up! I'm up! **Yawn** so tired........anyway! Welcome to the chapter readers! Enjoy! Have we done the disclaimer Shippo?  
  
Shippo: -_-;; Idiot.  
  
Chichiri4488: What!? 


	12. Car rides and HE WHAT?

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Shippo: You're on time again!  
  
Chichiri4488: I am so good! ^-^  
  
Shippo: But you still don't own Inuyasha.  
  
Chichiri4488: so cruel......... ;_;  
  
Chapter 9  
  
~ Car rides and HE WHAT!? ~  
  
"Are we there yet?" asked Shippo.  
  
"For the............however many times you've asked that, no!" said Miroku.  
  
"Fifty-third I think," said Sango.  
  
"Are you sure? I'm at forty-one," said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Well it seems like the fifty-third time," said Sango glaring back at Shippo who shrugged.  
  
"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts-" started singing Shippo.  
  
I clasped my hand firmly over his mouth as he gave me wide eyes.  
  
"If you sing that one more time, you don't want to know what I'll do," I said seething. He nodded quickly.  
  
Unfortunately I removed my hand.  
  
"Poke-mon! I want to be the best! -"  
  
"I can do worse to you than Kagome," glared Inuyasha.  
  
"If you want me to be quiet then just say so," muttered Shippo.  
  
"SHUT UP!" the van coursed.  
  
"We love ya squirt, but we're ready to kill at a moments notice," Sango winked.  
  
"Ah yes, just feel the love," muttered Shippo pulling candy out of his backpack.  
  
"Oh crap," said Inuyasha staring at the pocky Shippo had consumed. "We're forever doomed."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Are we there yet? Cause I'm excited! I want to go on the rides at the carnival and we're just going to ride around, and there will be sugar! I LIKE SUGAR! Do you like sugar? I love sugar! I want some sugar! Let's go get some sugar! Do you want to? Huh? Do ya!?"  
  
I stared at the seat in front of me. Just a little bit longer till Kyoto. Just a little bit longer............  
  
Even through Shippo's hyperness, I just took shelter in my own mind for a while.  
  
I could feel Inuyasha keep glancing at me as I stared at the car floor. Sesshomaru and Inori listened to their own CD players as they held hands.  
  
Why couldn't Inuyasha and I be like that...............?  
  
All I could do was sigh.  
  
He was my best friend. We had our differences, but I liked those differences. It was what made him Inuyasha. He was protective, sweet, caring, wonderful, and loving. With of course his pride, and arrogant attitude at times.  
  
Not to mention good looking.  
  
Blame the hormones for that one.  
  
When he had kissed me, wow. Now I knew why Miroku and Sango couldn't stop saying it.  
  
It was......... wow.  
  
How could he just run off like that? And why did it have to hurt so much when he did?  
  
He was a crush.  
  
My best friend, my crush, and the guy that's always been there.  
  
Why did males have to be such idiots at times?  
  
Or was it just Inuyasha?  
  
Well Kouga is an idiot too...............  
  
No, we'll just blame the males. It may not be fair, but I'm in a bad mood.  
  
"We're here!" shouted Miroku.  
  
"Thank goodness," said Sango. "I was not about to take Shippo's lecture on the kindness to evil floating gold fish! Again!"  
  
"Evil floating goldfish?" I questioned.  
  
"That's all he's talked about for the last half hour Kag. Where were you?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Thinking," I said quietly.  
  
"We should get our stuff up to the hotel rooms," said Inuyasha.  
  
"I'll go check us in," said Sesshomaru.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I flopped down on the bed in Sango, Inori's and my room. Then I let out one huge sigh.  
  
We were just going to hang around the hotel a while, and enjoy the short afternoon and evening together.  
  
Inori walked in carrying a duffel bag. Sango looked up from her bed, as did I.  
  
"Since there are two beds, I call the couch," said Inori.  
  
"You don't have to-" Sango started.  
  
"Actually I do. I'm the old chaperone, and as a guest I'll take the couch," said Inori. "I like couches anyway."  
  
I shrugged looking at Sango.  
  
"Hey Inori?" I asked. "How come you have the-"  
  
"The ears?"  
  
"Yeah," I blushed.  
  
"It's a disorder. There's a mistake coding in the DNA, making into a mutation for the human body," she said. "It's pretty rare. There are only 27 people worldwide that have this type of mutation though. It completely acts on the genetics of the parents too."  
  
"How did you meet Sesshomaru then?"  
  
"A medical class last year," she blushed. "He was one of the few to not be completely freaked out by the ears."  
  
Another big sigh. I hate all this sighing.  
  
"Life stinks," I said randomly. Sango looked at me in slight concern while Inori gave a small smile.  
  
"Boy troubles?" she asked.  
  
"They Suck," I said.  
  
"That they do," said Inori. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"How do you know if you're in love?" asked Kagome.  
  
"A lot of people have their own versions of love, some not the best ones. I guess love is when you feel very comfortable around the person, and want to spend your life with them. The emotion can go a lot deeper than that though. It's something you'll know," said Inori.  
  
"Thanks," I smiled.  
  
Check one. I knew I liked Yasha, now I just didn't know about actual love. It was a powerful word.  
  
Now I just needed courage to tell Inuyasha that I liked him.  
  
This could be a while.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Are we ready for dinner yet?" asked Miroku walking into our room.  
  
Pervert didn't even knock first. Well it is Miroku...............  
  
"I have the worst headache," muttered Shippo following in after Miroku. Inori nodded to confirm that we were ready. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were waiting outside the room.  
  
We all headed down towards the van to drive around for a restaurant. Shippo still had his hands on his head.  
  
"What's wrong Shippo?" I asked.  
  
"He's got a sugar hangover," said Miroku.  
  
"Shut up!" yelled Shippo clutching his head.  
  
"Ah," I muttered.  
  
"You're awfully quiet Inuyasha," said Miroku. Inuyasha scowled at him, while I looked at him questioningly.  
  
Life was so confusing sometimes.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We finally found a restaurant. It also was the 23rd one we had FINALLY decided on. Miroku was picky, and so was Shippo. Usually it tended to be the female at times who would be picky or fickle. At least that was the world's opinion anyway.  
  
The place was a small steak house serving almost anything related to beef. So for us, it was burgers all around.  
  
I sat eating at my burger while everyone chatted away. Well, they had been chatting away. I looked up to see everyone looking at me. Every one of Miroku, Sango and Shippo at least. Inuyasha had left though. Inori and Sesshomaru just looked at their food.  
  
They all knew. And I was surrounded.  
  
Darn them all.  
  
"You and Inuyasha have been a bit.........off lately," said Sango.  
  
Miroku nodded in agreement. "Just talk to him," he said.  
  
"Oh my aching head," said Shippo rubbing his temples. Sango ruffled his hair as his head lay against his French fries. Poor guy.  
  
"He's outside," said Miroku.  
  
I slowly stood up and walked to the door.  
  
I can do this I can do this..................  
  
There he was. Looking at a koi pond behind the steak house.  
  
I can't do this I can't do this............  
  
He looked up at me, his eyes widening. Despite my nervousness around him, I was glad he didn't leave.  
  
"Kagome............" he said.  
  
"Hey," I said. Oh yeah, that was a great way to make conversation!  
  
"I want to apologize," he said.  
  
"You don't have to apologize for the.........kiss," I muttered. "I just don't know why you did it."  
  
"Kagome, I'm sorry I ran, but I can't apologize for the kiss. In all complete honesty, that was one of the best moments in my life," he said.  
  
Wow. Oh yes, more wows.  
  
I wanted to ask why, but I was really cared to see the answer.  
  
My curiosity will be the death of me.  
  
"Why?" I asked. I looked up at his eyes.  
  
Bad move.  
  
This was one of those times you really want to look away, but you just can't stop looking.  
  
"I............" he started.  
  
"You what?"  
  
"I............ I think............ Why does this have to be so hard," he said kicking the ground.  
  
Call me naïve, but I really don't get what he's trying to say at all.  
  
"I think I love you," he said.  
  
I mean, is he trying to say-  
  
WHAT!? HE WHAT!?  
  
"What!?" I yelled.  
  
"I'm sorry! I realize you don't seem to feel the same, ok! I'm sorry. I've liked you since 5th grade for pete's sake!"  
  
"You idiot! I'm the one who's liked you since the 4th grade!" I yelled.  
  
Did I- oh goodness.  
  
This is one of those times I really wish I would think before opening my mouth.  
  
"You,......... you have?" he asked.  
  
"............Yes............" I muttered.  
  
"Do you.........maybe want to go on a date with me? When we get back to Tokyo or something?" he asked. A blush was fully apparent on his cheeks.  
  
"I think I would," I said smiling. He smiled at me before I grasped his hand.  
  
"Hurry it up love birds!" called Miroku from the car.  
  
We walked back to the car hand in hand.  
  
Now I was officially happy.  
  
"Now we just need to get Shippo a girlfriend," said Sango as we climbed into the car.  
  
"Oh crap," Shippo muttered.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Shippo: You're ending it there?  
  
Chichiri4488: Writers block on this chapter, I'm behind on almost 10 hours of sleep too. I tried though! I gave you fluff! Well, I hope it was good fluff. Besides, it was this or not to next week.  
  
Shippo: Idiot. Well, thanks to everyone for reviewing! (I'm short on time, so I'll mention names in the next chapter. Sorry! )  
  
Chichiri4488: Have cookies! ^________^ I was so happy to see the reviews Social Ladder has gotten!  
  
Shippo: Is the story almost over?"  
  
Chichiri4488: Not really. It's half way through the year, and I don't know what ideas I might get for upcoming chapters. This story could be over, or less than 20. I have no idea yet.  
  
Shippo: I want my contract.  
  
Chichiri4488: Contract? What contract?  
  
Shippo: **smacks head** the one you're SUPPOSED to be working on so I can go home. SOON.  
  
Chichiri4488: Contract?  
  
Shippo: I hate you.  
  
Chichiri4488: ja ne! ^-^  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	13. Fireworks and Cows?

The Social Ladder  
  
By Chichiri4488  
  
Shippo: You're really late.  
  
Chichiri4488: I know.  
  
Shippo: I mean really, really late!  
  
Chichiri4488: I know.  
  
Shippo: And you also have 3 tests tomorrow and a project due.  
  
Chichiri4488: I kn– WHAT!?  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The festival was packed with people and colorful lights hung everywhere. Some rides were placed through the festival, and many stands for games, shopping, and food stood open ready for business.  
  
However, since no one seemed to agree on which ride, booth, or etc, they split up to meet back for dinner. Miroku and Sango had gone off with Shippo, while Sesshomaru and Inori had gone towards the rides.  
  
"Where are we meeting everyone?" I asked.  
  
"At the sushi restaurant in an hour." Said Inuyasha. He held her hand as they moved through the crowds.  
  
"What do you want to do first?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know, you decide."  
  
"Do want to go on a ride, play a game at a booth, or something else?"  
  
"I don't know. It's your choice," I grinned.  
  
"Do you ever make decisions Kag-chan?" he smiled.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
I grinned at him as he smiled back. We walked past a booth where you had to pop balloons with darts. I saw Inuyasha gazing up at the stuffed animals and then he glanced at me.  
  
"Do you want one?"  
  
I grinned.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Aww! Inuyasha got Kag-chan a stuffed animal!" called Miroku. Inuyasha and I came walking up, while a large stuffed tiger was under Inuyasha's arm.  
  
"Actually Miroku, I won it for him," I said. "He thought you weren't supposed to pop the balloons, when you were. So I did it the 2nd time and won."  
  
"Similar to what happened to us," said Sango. "Only Shippo was the one who saw a flaw in the booth stand and won me this cat."  
  
"The guy running the stand messed up the booth," muttered Miroku. "I could've won something."  
  
"Am I the only one that followed tradition?" asked Sesshomaru as we walked up with Inori. Inori was carrying a big stuffed animal of a black wolf. She was also bandaged on her wrist.  
  
"What happened to you Inori?" I asked.  
  
"Tripped and skidded the ground. Sprained my wrist, and got a few bruises and scratches to. No big deal," she said.  
  
"You also bruised both of your arm muscles, and can barely move them without pain," said Sesshomaru.  
  
"That's why I couldn't win you the dog," grinned Inori. "Otherwise I would have you an animal too."  
  
"Aww," said Miroku. Sango slapped his arm playfully as he kissed her cheek.  
  
"All this romance crap is giving me a headache," Shippo muttered.  
  
"You were in the act to pair people up," I said. "Don't think I don't know about your crushes at the school."  
  
"He has crushes?" asked Miroku amusement in his eyes.  
  
"He is male isn't he?" said Inori.  
  
"Too true," I grinned as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around my waist. His head rested on my shoulder. Shippo blushed as he grinned at me.  
  
"How'd you know?" Shippo asked.  
  
"You were a little too obvious in gym class last year," I said. "Personally, I think you shouldn't spend so much time with Miroku."  
  
"He's the one who gave me the advice," muttered Shippo. Sango raised her eyebrows at Miroku as he started coughing.  
  
"Now we have 2 perverts," said Inuyasha.  
  
"They're male. That's all there is to it," said Inori. Sango and I smiled as the boys all glared.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"The fireworks are good?" whispered Inuyasha.  
  
"Spectacular," I said as I tore my gaze away from the sky. "Don't you think they're pretty?"  
  
"Pretty loud," he muttered as he rubbed his ears. "But I think you're prettier." I blushed as he smiled at me before we shared a soft kiss.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The food had been great. The fireworks amazing!  
  
But we had to go home now.  
  
"Are you done packing Kag-chan?" asked Sango waltzing into the room.  
  
"I'm good to go," I said zipping up my duffel bag.  
  
"I'm ready too!" said Inori. "Lets hit the road, I've got classes again tomorrow."  
  
"Looking forward to them?" I asked.  
  
"Not really," she said sticking out her tongue. "But thanks for having me on the trip. I needed the vacation."  
  
"Anytime. You're fun to have around," said Sango as I nodded in agreement.  
  
"I might just take that invitation. Unfortunately, I have almost no free time these days."  
  
"Are you ready yet or not?" asked Shippo.  
  
"We're coming Miroku Jr!" yelled Sango. Shippo glared at her before muttering "girls........." and walking down the hall. They all came down and threw their bags into the back of the car before jumping into their seats.  
  
"Next destination, Tokyo!" yelled Miroku.  
  
Shippo opened his backpack and pulled out 4 new boxes of pocky. Followed by a huge bottle of soda pop.  
  
"I don't think you should ever be given sugar again," said Inuyasha.  
  
"Too bad," grinned Shippo.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Ha ha ha ha............ I WILL HAVE POWER!!!!"  
  
"Is he always this bad!?" yelled Inori.  
  
"No............ actually, yes. Yes he is," I said.  
  
Shippo went into another long insane laugh, as the car pulled to a sudden stop. Cows were surrounding the road ahead of us and swarmed around the place, so the car was stuck.  
  
"MWA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!! THE COWS HAVE COME!!!!!!!! YOU WILL PAY!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Shut up Shippo!" yelled Inuyasha. Miroku began honking at the cows, but they just mooed louder and turned their heads toward the car. Then they started coming towards the car.  
  
"Back up slowly Miroku," muttered Sesshomaru.  
  
"I can't! Now their behind the car too!"  
  
"Great, we're surrounded," muttered Inori.  
  
"The cows will rule us," muttered Shippo twitching his head.  
  
"You think is revenge for all the hamburgers we've digested in our lives?" asked Inori.  
  
"Oh peachy. Next will have chickens on the roof of the car," muttered Sango. Miroku continued to honk at the cows as we waited for some help to come.  
  
"HA HA HA!!!!!!!!" yelled Shippo.  
  
Inuyasha bonked him on the head. "Quiet," he muttered.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Shippo: SO why are you late?"  
  
Chichiri4488: We had MPA, state testing, not to mention some other tests and projects I had to finish, registration for the classes I take next year, practicing guitar, homework, and other little tidbits, like yard work, chores etc.  
  
Shippo: Could you translate some of that please?  
  
Chichiri4488: MPA is Musical Performance Assessment where our school orchestra (it could be chorus, band, etc too) goes and plays for judges where you are graded, and those grades (good or bad) show up for the entire state to see. We got the 2nd highest score that you can get by the way! So it required a ton of practicing and performances to attend.  
  
The state testing was where they put us in rooms and give us a state test that shows your reading and math skills. It's a real pain. -_-  
  
Shippo: It can't have been that bad.  
  
Chichiri4488: Actually if you add it all up together, I think this is the fourth time of getting on A COMPUTER in about 3 weeks. And I'm still sleep deprived. And the tripping thing that happened to Inori, yeah that happened to me, I skidded right across the parking lot road while running. My arms still hurt, and my wrist is swollen. :(  
  
Shippo: Figures. Baka, you shouldn't have tripped.  
  
Chichiri4488: But there is good news! I got to go to MegaCon yesterday with some friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the biggest anime conventions there is!!! XD It was so cool! I got my picture taken with Vash from Trigun and Master Kakashi from Naruto! XD XD XD XD  
  
I want to apologize. I had almost no inspiration for this chapter, but I did try my best. ^^;; And I know it's short..................I hope you enjoyed though!!!!!!  
  
Shippo: Anyway.........Now that we can do the names............ Thank you so much to chiriko8989, MoonLightWolf, Elven Mischief, AmayaSaria, Communist Penguin, Emily, Anastasia or Nightwolf22, Nibzo, Crimson Pooka, little kitsune-chan, and sungy.  
  
NightWolf22: Yes, I love Hot Topic's T-shirts. XD I've heard of Good Charlotte often, but I've never actually heard their music. I'll look into it though.  
  
Chichiri4488: Thank you so much peoples! I love reading these reviews! Have tons of cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
I have a suggestion for you all. There is a story written by Chiriko8989, called __________ and even has me in it! She's one of my best friends, and I suggest it. It's a good humor.  
  
But so you know......... I will not be updating for a little bit. This is now my spring break and I will be gone everyday out of town. I will try and have an update as soon as I get back. Ja ne!  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	14. Escape and a date

The Social Ladder  
  
Chichiri4488: I have returned from my trip.  
  
Shippo: And you still don't own Inuyasha.  
  
Chichiri4488: It's a cold, cruel world............  
  
"Ok......... I spy with my little eyes something-"  
  
"Cow," said Sango.  
  
"Ok, lets try again. I spy with my eyes something-"  
  
"Cow," she said again.  
  
"Dang it your good," muttered Miroku.  
  
"Is the highway patrol on the way yet?" asked Shippo from the back. I sat with my head on Inuyasha's shoulder as Shippo had his head in Inuyasha's lap from another 'sugar hangover'. "I feel like the humanoid pillow," Inuyasha had said.  
  
"The patrol was supposed to be here two hours ago," muttered Inori.  
  
"If they're sitting in a donut shop, I'm suing," said Sesshomaru.  
  
"I'll lead the case!" said Shippo. "Just give me a couple weeks to read over the law books............ oh my head........."  
  
"I think we need a lawyer who can prove they're mentally stable," said Miroku.  
  
"I have a bad headache," muttered Shippo.  
  
"You should probably give up sugar," said Inuyasha.  
  
"I'm hooked pal! You here me, hooked! I ain't giving it up either, so tough luck. It's my addiction and I like it!"  
  
"You're scaring me Shippo............"  
  
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it!!!!!!!! Forgive me! Please!?" Shippo yelled.  
  
"Chill! I just said you should lower your sugar intake!" said Inuyasha.  
  
"Never!! You cannot take the blessed sugar particles that cause hyperness away! The cows will kill you all!! Oh crap. I'm sorry Yasha, the sugar is messing with my brain here. Please forgive me?"  
  
"Stop pulling a schizophrenia on me!" yelled Inuyasha.  
  
"What ya'll doing out there with my cows?"  
  
I looked out the window to see some guy on a horse riding up to the car. He had on boots and a cowboy hat too.  
  
"I believe the question is why are your cows on the highway?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Highway? This is the road through my ranch. The highway is back a few miles," said the rancher puzzled. Miroku looked confused, and then Sango turned and slapped his shoulder with the map.  
  
"I told you not to take exit 40! It was the next right you baka!" Sango yelled.  
  
I'm going to kill Miroku later...............  
  
"Ha ha! Well I'll be darned! I never thought I'd see some teens drive down an exit and try to be a cow!" he whistled and a few dogs came bounding up over the hill. "Let's get you folks out of here."  
  
"That explains why the cops never came I guess," I said.  
  
"I suppose it would," muttered Inuyasha.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So where's he taking you?" Sango asked me.  
  
"He said it was a surprise," I replied. Tonight I get to go on a date with Inuyasha! And it'll be my first date ever! I'm so excited! But I again don't have any knowledge in this subject..................  
  
So I called Sango............ who also has barely any knowledge on it either, but she has experience. So Shippo actually is raiding my closet right now.  
  
"It doesn't help me to help you, if you cant help me by telling me where you're going, and if Inuyasha had told you then he would've been helping you and me," said Shippo.  
  
"Surprisingly enough I understood that," I said.  
  
"We're just one big helping family," Sango muttered.  
  
"Yes we are, so please help me!" I said. I had no clue what to do. I didn't know what to expect on the date. I was getting nervous, and desperate. I needed help, and fast.  
  
My palms were starting to sweat already.  
  
"Kagome, I don't know about this stuff. You know that," said Sango.  
  
"But you have experience. You have a boyfriend! And you've been on at least one date with him! I have nothing! Please, please, please help me!?"  
  
"OK ok," she said. "I'll do my best. First off on the date, he'll probably be nervous."  
  
And I won't be?  
  
"Watch out for his hands too, they might try and roam. Either that or he'll be a perfect gentleman, for the most part."  
  
Is this Inuyasha or Miroku?  
  
"And slap him hard no matter how much you like him if he tries to ask you one of his perverted questions."  
  
Miroku.  
  
"And give him and extra hit if he asks you to bear his kids."  
  
Miroku. Dead on Miroku.  
  
"Kag, where are your dresses and skirts?" asked Shippo. "I know you have at least one."  
  
"Correction sir, I own one skirt and one blouse. That are hidden because of past observation."  
  
"I have to dress you nice because Yasha didn't mention the dress or where you're going. I need them to help you! Remember the helping thing?"  
  
I knew I forgot something.  
  
"But Yasha said it would be casual........." I said.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me before?" he asked.  
  
"Bad memory?"  
  
"Ok grandma, but for that you have to wear some make-up!"  
  
No!  
  
"No way!" I said. I am not going down without a fight.  
  
"Here are the clothes. A white blouse, and jeans," he said handing them to me. "Now you change, then I help Sango with make-up."  
  
Oh we'll see about that make-up...............  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well I did put up a good fight. But Shippo had brought rope with him.  
  
Stinky cheaters.  
  
Now I'm tied down to MY chair, in MY room as make-up is put to MY face.  
  
"Kagome!" shouted Souta. "Inuyasha's here!"  
  
They finished and looked at me before nodding to each other in agreement. Then they started to walk out of the room.  
  
"HEY! I'm still tied up here!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You look great tonight Kag," said Inuyasha as he opened the door for me. Sango said that was gentleman like. Ok, I'm good so far.  
  
"You look good too," I said admiring his red shirt and black jeans. He blushed and started the engine with a huge grin.  
  
"So where are we going?"  
  
"It's a surprise," he said smiling at me. The car pulled up to a theater building. More specifically, a theatre playing the musical Phantom of the Opera, and it would be a live performance. My eyes bulged at the building.  
  
"How did you know that I had been wanting to see this?" I asked.  
  
"Are you kidding me? You only mentioned it 45 times when you heard it came to town."  
  
"When did I mention it 45 times?"  
  
"Do you remember the poster on the way home from Kyoto a couple of days ago?"  
  
"Oh that..............."  
  
Yeah, I was a little hyper after seeing the poster advertising the musical The Phantom of the Opera that was being put on by our rival high school.  
  
And Inuyasha was taking me to it!!!!! YAY!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"It's not much for a lovely dinner, but-"  
  
"Inuyasha, it's fine," I said taking the hotdog and bag of chips from the stand, as Inuyasha paid and grabbed his food too.  
  
"I tried to get reservations-"  
  
I put my hand over his mouth to shut him up.  
  
"The food is fine, the play will be fine, everything will be fine, and you look really fine."  
  
Oops on that last comment.  
  
"Really?" he asked grinning.  
  
Stupid teenage hormones. Questions and comments always pop out when they're not supposed to............  
  
"I look fine," he muttered to himself.  
  
Oh crap, I started something.  
  
"You look fine too Kag," he said.  
  
That's not a bad something. Keep the compliments rolling, fine with me.  
  
We finished up our food and walked into the theatre to find our seats. We sat next to each other slightly shy when the theatre began to dim and the curtain started to rise.  
  
Inuyasha leaned towards me a bit and whispered, "Can I hold your hand?"  
  
I smiled, "You can."  
  
YAY!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"The performance was spectacular!" I said walking to Inuyasha's car with him.  
  
"Yeah it was. But it makes happier just knowing you enjoyed it."  
  
We smiled at each other before he leaned in and kissed me softly. Then he turned and started the car to drive me home.  
  
Wait, there's something I'm forgetting that will ruin my mood...............  
  
What was it though? ...............  
  
"Oh crap!"  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"We have school on Monday!"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"That's the day after tomorrow!"  
  
"Crap," he muttered.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Surprisingly enough, school wasn't as bad as I thought it would have been. At least not yet.  
  
"It's pretty good to be back at school," I said sitting at the lunch table.  
  
"Yeah, only problem is the heavy load of homework the teachers are putting on us now that we're back," said Sango picking up her sandwich.  
  
"Usually we're tormented the day we get back," said Shippo. "I think something's wrong in the social ladder right now............"  
  
"Fine with me. I will cherish the peace, until we can pull some more pranks over the jocks," said Inuyasha.  
  
A loud echo of a slap could be heard through the cafeteria. But it came from the other side of the cafeteria............ From Kikyo and Naraku's table.........  
  
"YOU WHAT!?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chichiri4488: Hi guys! I'm back from my trip!  
  
Shippo: Dang it............... -_-  
  
Chichiri4488: And I left with injuries, and I returned with more injuries. But I wrote for you guys. Some may have noticed my page lengths are starting to change. I'm not going on a certain page length anymore. If it's long, then it's long, if it's short, then it's short.  
  
Shippo: Where's my contract?  
  
Chichiri4488: It's coming. But it'll wait because I have some new ideas for the rest of the story. This story might go past 20 chapters. It might. Don't count on me for it though. I haven't drawn out the whole outline yet.  
  
Shippo: But once it's over I can leave?  
  
Chichiri4488: ;_; Yes............ the show wont let me keep you forever.  
  
Shippo: XD YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA! Freedom is on the way!  
  
Chichiri4488: You still have some time with me though. ^_^  
  
Shippo: ;_; dang it..................  
  
Chichiri4488: I was so happy with the reviews I got on Social Ladder! Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU readers are the BEST!  
  
Shippo: Thank you MoonLightWolf, Crimson Pooka, Communist Penguin, Nibzo, Samieko, and AmayaSaria for reviewing to Social Ladder!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Chichiri4488: Have cookies everyone!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Shippo: Did you do your homework yet?  
  
Chichiri4488: 0.0 oh crap............  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	15. Break Up and Helping Hands

The Social Ladder  
  
Chichiri4488: Me no own the series, manga, merchandise, etc, etc, etc..................  
  
Shippo: Baka...............  
  
"HOW COULD YOU!? HOW DARE YOU!? WHY!? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS DOES TO ME!?"  
  
"CALM DOWN KIKYO!" shouted Naraku. She slapped him. Hard too. Ouch, I almost pity the quarterback. And I don't even know what he did.  
  
"YOU'RE AN IDIOT! A SELFISH IDIOT!" she yelled. "I'M BREAKING UP WITH YOU!"  
  
"I JUST BROKE UP WITH YOU MORON!"  
  
"BECAUSE YOU'RE GAY!"  
  
Now my full attention is on them, as well as every one in the cafeteria. Some other members of the football team started giving him weird looks, as the cheerleaders backed away.  
  
"So what if I am gay?" he said before walking away. "Oh and Kikyo?" He turned towards her.  
  
"What?" she scowled at him heavily.  
  
"Those shoes so do not match with that outfit," he said before walking out of the cafeteria. Many of the other cheerleaders started giggling, and pointing to Naraku.  
  
Most of the students were still getting over the entire shock of the outburst. Kouga was even shocked at the situation. He walked over to the table and sat next to me.  
  
"Good vacation Kag?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah sure," I said staring at my sandwich.  
  
"So you're ready to be my girl now then?"  
  
Now I'm ready to kill someone. Only if Inuyasha doesn't do it first.  
  
"She's my girl Kouga, back off," said Inuyasha. He put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek.  
  
"I was joking dog-boy," said Kouga. "But I do need your help Kag."  
  
"With what?" I asked.  
  
He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably.  
  
"Kouga, there's nothing I can do if I don't know the problem," I said.  
  
"Well..............." he muttered.  
  
"Spit it out jock," said Sango.  
  
"There's this girl on the volleyball team........." he blushed.  
  
"Wait a sec. You need my help because.........?"  
  
"She doesn't like me! She's like you, but not as non-social like," said Kouga.  
  
My goodness, Kouga has a way with words.  
  
"Can you hook me up with her Kag? Please? She's really nice and pretty. Please?"  
  
"I'll try Kouga."  
  
What am I getting myself into?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Good luck Kag," said Sango.  
  
"Yeah, good luck getting Kouga a girl," snickered Shippo.  
  
"Whoa now! You guys are helping me right?" I said. "Do you honestly think I can pull this off on my own?"  
  
Sango and Shippo glanced at each other.  
  
"She has a point," he said.  
  
"Yeah, and she might put us on a guilt trip if we don't agree."  
  
"The fact that we're all friends and help each other is a nice factor there too," I said. They nodded to me. "We'll help," they muttered.  
  
"Aww! Thanks guys, you didn't have to though."  
  
"Sure we didn't," Shippo muttered. I started walking towards the gym doors and pushed them slightly open. My eyes peered inside to the volleyball team smacking the balls to the other side of the net.  
  
"Where are you going!?" said Shippo.  
  
"Kouga said she was on the volleyball team, and she'd be here after school," I said.  
  
"Yes, now carefully think who else is on the volleyball team," said Shippo.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Kag, Kikyo is on the volleyball team," said Sango.  
  
"You don't think Kouga wants to date Kikyo do you?" I asked.  
  
"Well now that Naraku's gay, and quit all the sports teams, Kouga is definitely jock of the year," said Sango.  
  
"Kouga and Kikyo?" muttered Shippo. He stuck out his tongue and shook his head. "How on earth are we supposed to play matchmaker for them!? Kikyo despises us!"  
  
"We'll have to tell Kouga we can't do it," said Sango.  
  
"No kiddin. There's no chance we could even get Kikyo to consider anything we suggest.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We had to tell Kouga we couldn't get him on a date with Kikyo.  
  
He didn't seem as unhappy as we predicted.  
  
"I don't want to date Kikyo!" he said.  
  
"What?" I said. "But the girl on the volleyball team-"  
  
"I forgot to tell you her name yesterday. It's Kagura on the team I like."  
  
"Her name would have been greatly appreciated dingo brain," said Shippo.  
  
"You wanna fight a little runt? I'll knock you into next Tuesday," said Kouga.  
  
"Both of you be quiet!" said Sango.  
  
"Kouga, why don't you just win this Kagura girl's feelings on your own."  
  
"Cause she hates me!" said Kouga. "Since Kag dumped me, my self confidence has dropped by nearly 65%!"  
  
"You calculated?" asked Miroku.  
  
"I hired some nerd in my calculus class," said Kouga. "So can you help me Kag?"  
  
"I guess we'll try again," I said.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Kag?"  
  
"Yeah Shippo?"  
  
"Why are we helping Kouga?"  
  
"Because you know deep down he's a good guy, and I'll feel really bad if we don't help him."  
  
"I have a feeling there's another reason............" said Sango.  
  
"Maybe............"  
  
"Whgat is it?" asked Sango.  
  
"Well, lets just say if Shippo asks, then Kouga owes him a favor."  
  
"Enlighten me later," glared Shippo going into the gym.  
  
"You think he can pull this off?" asked Sango as we watched him through the gym windows. Shippo dodged behind the stands and jumped into the trashcan close by.  
  
Part one complete.  
  
We turned our heads to where the girl's volleyball team were practicing. I spotted the girl Kagura jump and spike the ball. She was good but I like it even better when the ball smacked Kikyo in the face.  
  
"Nice Kagura! Very nice!" yelled the coach with a huge grin. "Go put some ice on that bloody nose Kikyo. Very nice work ladies, you can change and go home."  
  
The girls eventually came out of the locker rooms and left through the doors. Kagura came out last heading across the gym floor.  
  
"Do you remember why Shippo got into the trashcan for our plan?" asked Sango.  
  
"Honestly, no."  
  
Kagura came out of the door.  
  
"Hi!" we said. She looked at us strangely.  
  
"Hi........." she said.  
  
"How are you?" asked Sango.  
  
"Fine......... do you need something?"  
  
I'm sick of beating around the bush. It's blunt time.  
  
"The guy Kouga likes you a lot, and wants to know if you'll go out with him, cause he's too shy to come tell you himself afraid he won't like you."  
  
Sango and Kagura gave me strange looks.  
  
"Ok," Kagura said.  
  
"That's it? Just ok?" asked Sango.  
  
"Was I supposed to say something else?"  
  
"He said you hated him though. We figured you might not want too," I said.  
  
"I laughed at him because he walked into a pole. But I don't hate him, he's a sweet guy, especially with little kids."  
  
"Kids?" I asked.  
  
"He's an only child, but we both do community service at the Children's Hospital."  
  
"Do you talk to him there?" I asked.  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Why not?" asked Sango.  
  
"Cause he never talks to me........." said Kagura. "I don't like starting conversations."  
  
Oh. That makes sense then.  
  
"Thank you for your time!" I said.  
  
"No problem. See ya," said Kagura as she walked down the hall.  
  
Sango and I smiled. Mission complete.  
  
We got to the parking lot and into my car. We even got halfway home too.  
  
"Sango?"  
  
"Yeah Kag?"  
  
"Where's Shippo?"  
  
"Crap," she sighed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"They left me in a trashcan!" Shippo ranted. Miroku and Inuyasha kept laughing through the whole story.  
  
"We said sorry," I said.  
  
"I forgive you," said Shippo. "But I still smell like garbage."  
  
"Hi guys!"  
  
We turned to see Naraku standing by the table.  
  
We all went quiet.  
  
And just stared at him.  
  
"Uhh............ hi Naraku. What can we do for you?" I said.  
  
"Can I sit with you guys?" he asked.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chichiri4488: Yes Naraku is gay in this story.  
  
Shippo: I knew it............  
  
Chichiri4488: Yes well then......... I really don't have anything to say except thank you to the people who reviewed. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! And the cookies go to............ MoonLightWolf, Communist Penguin, and Crimson Pooka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Crimson Pooka: ummm............... sorry?  
  
MoonLightWolf: Shippo's hyperness is kind of mirrored off me, at a slightly larger scale, if that tells you anything. But I can get VERY hyper.  
  
Shippo: One more chapter done. More to go.  
  
Chichiri4488: YAY! Nap time............... 


	16. Beat up deals and Paranoid fox boys

The Social Ladder  
  
Shippo: You're late again.  
  
Chichiri4488: ^^;;;;  
  
"Sit here?" asked Sango.  
  
"Yes," replied Naraku.  
  
"With us?" I asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But here, with us?" asked Shippo.  
  
"Yes........."  
  
"Not over there, but here? With us here?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?" asked Inuyasha. I am so confused............  
  
"Cause I'm a nobody like you guys now!" he grinned. I lifted up my eyebrow at him with a 'yeah-right' look.  
  
"I need your help Kagome," he whispered.  
  
At this rate I'm gonna start my own hotline and make cash of this advice thing.  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"Cause Kouga said you're good at helping people, and at this point you guys are the only people who will look me in the eye!"  
  
"There are other guys in the school that are gay Naraku, just go hang out with them!" said Miroku.  
  
"Hello! Get with the program here people!" he said snapping his fingers. "There's only one guy out there for me who knows just as much as I do on fashion, and he's gay."  
  
"Some fashion designer who's famous and that I've never heard of?" asked Sango.  
  
"No. It's actually a cute little redhead senior. Named Shippo."  
  
Shippo's milk sprayed over the table and onto Miroku, with his eyes wide.  
  
"Thanks for the shower Shippo," said Miroku. He grabbed at a napkin and began whipping some of the liquid of his face.  
  
"You like who!?" shouted Inuyasha.  
  
"You heard me, I really don't like having to repeat myself........."  
  
"Why the heck me?" asked Shippo.  
  
"You're cute, and aren't you gay too?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then why do you know fashion and stuff?" asked Naraku.  
  
"You would too if you're parents died, and you were raised by your older sisters!"  
  
Naraku's face saddened quickly as Shippo's grew angry. Then Naraku ran and gave him a hug.  
  
"I'm so sorry my little Shippo-chan! I'll take care of you!"  
  
"HELP!"  
  
"Leave me to the dirty work............" Inuyasha muttered. He pulled Naraku off Shippo quickly, throwing him back away from the table. "You wanna have friends, fine. You wanna hurt mine, then you have a huge fist coming your way. Is that clear?"  
  
"Crystal clear."  
  
Inuyasha came back to the table and put his arm around my shoulders. His head resting on top of mine.  
  
I love this big softie.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I was peacefully going to my car after school. Yasha had a dentist appointment and had to leave. Miroku was already off with Sango somewhere. And Shippo had disappeared.  
  
Had, being the key word in past tense.  
  
"Kagome!?" he yelled jumping onto me.  
  
"What is it Shippo?" I asked.  
  
"Naraku is chasing me down! I cant live like this! I feel like if I turn to him he'll hug me......... so I just keep running......... I can't take this forever!"  
  
"Shippo, it hasn't even been half a day."  
  
"Yeah, and you survived Kouga for weeks. What's your secret to avoiding creepy males?"  
  
"I don't know, but if you find out first let me know what it is."  
  
"Kag! You gotta help me on this! You know what it's like having a guy you despise chasing you down. Help me, please?"  
  
He was trying to send me on a guilt trip with his big eyes watering up. But I was already going to help him anyway.  
  
"Don't worry Shippo. I have a plan."  
  
His grin widened.  
  
"Prank king and queen are taking him down! But what's the plan?"  
  
"We just need to direct Naraku's attention onto another gay guy, so they can be happy together, rather than drag you into this."  
  
"Like who? Jakotsu?"  
  
"He's a teacher. And I think he's seeing someone anyway."  
  
"I don't know anyone else that's gay."  
  
"Neither do I......... but we'll find someone."  
  
"How long will that take?"  
  
"I don't have a clue."  
  
He fell back across the pavement and his arms twitched. Moron acted like he was dying.  
  
"Shippo?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Shippo?"  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"I don't give rides to dead people."  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"Or unconscious people."  
  
He didn't budge.  
  
"That includes people specifically in comas."  
  
"Dang it," he muttered getting up.  
  
You have to be so specific with him, or he'll find a loophole in what you say. I know, cause I do it at times too. We'll make darned good lawyers.  
  
"Ready fox-boy?"  
  
"Fox-boy?"  
  
"I wasn't sure if you wanted a nickname like grasshopper."  
  
"Where did this come from?" he said. I shrugged.  
  
"You're so random at times Kag."  
  
"I know. Let's go though; I've got a mountain of homework."  
  
"I finished it in 5th period. So ha ha," he said.  
  
I tuck my tongue out at him as I got into my car.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chichiri4488: A bit shorter than usual, but oh well.  
  
Shippo: Lazy bum.  
  
Chichiri4488: It's 2 in the morning. I can't sleep. And you're calling me lazy?  
  
Shippo: .........Yes?  
  
Chichiri4488: Ok then.  
  
Shippo: 0.o right.........  
  
Chichiri4488: *pulls out chainsaw* MWA HA HA HA HA!!!!! XD  
  
Shippo: I want my contract!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *chased by chainsaw*  
  
Chichiri4488: Thank you so much to Communist Penguin, Ryngrl5, Chibi Horsewoman, kaekoe, MoonLightWolf, Sherry, Super Ceech, and Crimson Pooka for your reviews!!!!! HAVE A COOKIE EVERYONE!  
  
I wanted to write comments to some of you guys, but I don't have time............. Crap. But a special thanks again to you reviewers. I love reading them and hearing your comments! THANK YOU!!!! XD XD  
  
Shippo: *cringes as chainsaw touches him* HEY! THIS THING'S RUBBER!  
  
Chichiri4488: Ja ne! ^^;;;;  
  
^-^ ~Reviews are always welcome in my world~ ^-^ 


	17. Matchmaking and upcoming events

**The Social Ladder**  
  
**Shippo: You're late again.  
  
Chichiri4488: Define late?  
  
Shippo: REALLY late.  
  
Chichiri4488: gomen nasai?   
**  
My head swooped around the corner. Shippo's next right under mine. Then Sango's head swooped around on top of my head. We looked like a totem pole just to glance around corners of the school.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Shippo jumped in shock knocking me to the floor, and taking Sango with me. Shippo's head banged straight into the lockers by the corner. Inuyasha and Miroku stood in the hall with their books giving us all a curious look.  
  
"Are you three mentally stable at this time?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Flying cows............ bubbles............" muttered Shippo clutching his head.  
  
"Define stable?" I asked.  
  
"We're trying to watch out for Naraku. He sent Shippo 10 valentines this morning," said Sango.  
  
"Creepy, but what's the problem?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"It's still late January for one thing," I said.  
  
"I'm not gay, and I despise him," said Shippo. "He's to me as Kouga was to Kagome."  
  
"Very creepy," said Miroku. "And it's not even first period yet too."  
  
"My life stinks," said Shippo. "I will get revenge!"  
  
"On life?" asked Miroku.  
  
"No! On stupid confusing............things!" said Shippo.  
  
"Stupid, confusing.........things?" I asked.  
  
"Yes," said Shippo.  
  
"Hey Shippo!" called a voice.  
  
A voice that belonged to the very essence of evil............  
  
Kikyo.  
  
"Hey Shippo," she said again. A group of cheerleaders were right behind her. "I heard you and Naraku are the hit couple of the school!"  
  
"Well I heard that you broke two broke up because you're dating .................. someone else!" yelled Shippo. Kikyo and the others laughed before walking away. Shippo sat on the ground his head in his hands.  
  
"What am I gonna do?" he whimpered.  
  
"I thought you were going to get revenge on stupid confusing things in life," said Miroku. Sango whacked him on the head as put a hand on Shippo's shoulder.  
  
"What if we played matchmaker for Naraku?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"You mean actually do get Shippo and Naraku together?" asked Miroku.  
  
"Shippo's not gay smart one. SO let's hook Naraku up with another gay guy!"  
  
"Like who?" I asked. "I don't know anyone else that gay."  
  
"Does the name Hojo ring a bell there Kag," said Inuyasha.

**o0;;;**

"The band competition is in 2 weeks!" yelled Inuyasha.  
  
"And we've been practicing for 2 hours already!" yelled Miroku.  
  
"Two hours a day for the past two weeks!" yelled Shippo.  
  
"The guys seem to like the number two don't they?" I said to Sango.  
  
"Yup," she muttered. "Hey guys!" she yelled. The three boys looked up, each if them in a headlock from someone else. "Why are you 3 fighting anyway?"  
  
"Inuyasha is determined to win the competition," said Miroku. "And because of it-"  
  
"This is like music slave camp," said Shippo.  
  
And we have to win because...?  
  
"Kouga's in the competition," said Inuyasha.  
  
Oh.........  
  
He turned his back to us and folded his arms across his chest. A stance we knew well.  
  
"Kouga has a band?" I heard Shippo whisper to Sango and Miroku.  
  
I rolled my eyes and stood up from the comfy couch of Inuyasha's den where we had been practicing. I walked over and put my arms around the big guy.  
  
"Still jealous?" I asked.  
  
"I'm not jealous of the pig."  
  
"He doesn't like me anymore and I only like you, so what's the problem?"  
  
"He broke up with Kagura."  
  
That relationship didn't last very long...............  
  
"He might want you again."  
  
"Yasha, even if he did, which I doubt, I only like you. Get over it."  
  
He smiled and bent his down kissing my cheek. I smiled back at him before picking up my guitar.  
  
"Alright guys, lets start practicing and we'll beat every last band there!" I said.  
  
"No!" yelled Shippo. "Do not join the dark side!"

**o0;;;**

****

"So how do we play matchmaker on two gay guys that we barely know?" asked Sango.  
  
"That's a very good question my dear," said Miroku. "I honestly have no idea."  
  
Sango leaned her head off Miroku's shoulder and stared at Inuyasha and I. Shippo was asleep with his head on Inuyasha's backpack.  
  
"It's already done," said Inuyasha. He pointed to another lunch table where Naraku and Hojo sat together laughing and sharing a soda. Two straws were in the soda.  
  
I shuddered. It was a scary sight.  
  
"That's creepy," muttered Miroku. "So how'd you do it?"  
  
"Gave them each a movie ticket in the mail and they both went. They've been dating ever since," said Inuyasha.  
  
"You're a genius," said Miroku.  
  
"Am I free?" asked Shippo groggily.  
  
"That you are my friend, that you are," I said.  
  
"I love you all," said Shippo, his head fell back to the table and he continued to sleep.

**o0;;;;;**

"The band competition is in 3 days!" said Inuyasha, we can do this!"  
  
I'm the only one in the room. I think he's preparing a pep speech for the competition............  
  
"Inuyasha, are you okay?" I asked.  
  
"Nervous," he grinned.  
  
"We'll do just fine Inuyasha, the competition will be ours!"  
  
The dogs looked at me and cocked their heads from their positions on the floor.  
  
That was an awwww moment for me.  
  
The door opened and Sesshomaru walked into the den. A frown and distant look etched on his face.  
  
"What happened Sesshy?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"I proposed to Inori tonight."  
  
Another awww......... wait, but he looks so sad.........  
  
"She turned me down."  
  
Aww, sad awe not the cute awe.  
  
"Why did she turn you down? It's obvious you guys love each other!" said Inuyasha.  
  
"She has cancer Inuyasha. A cancer that formed because of the mutation in her DNA."  
  
But that's the same genetic mutation in Inuyasha............ he couldn't get cancer could he...?

**o0;;;;;;;**

**Chichiri4488: Yeah, I'm really sorry about the long wait guys. You can burn me and bring out the pitchforks! mobs begin to form wait......... let me rethink that.........  
  
I'm out of school, so my orchestra concerts and finals are part of what kept me away. Also I had a three day Youth Conference (It's a fun church activity thing for the youth 14 – 18 and we have a ton of activities and then a dance). My birthday was this past Sunday as well. (May 30 1989), so now I'm also working to get my driver's permit.  
  
I'm kinda busy, and I know the chapter is short, so I'm sorry again!!!!  
  
Shippo: And for once you're awake through everything?  
  
Chichiri4488: Wow............ XD I'm not tired for once!!!!!!!!! Strange though since I've been so busy............hmmmmmmmm............  
  
Shippo: throws an apple at Chichiri's head baka............  
  
Chichiri4488: Thank you so much to Chibi Horsewoman, Guardian-Angel11, Communist Penguin, Super Ceech, and lady lilacks for reviewing on Social Ladder.  
  
For everyone that's been reading/keepingupwith/orreviewing: You're all the best for sticking with me through this story! HAVE COOKIES, CANDY AND SODA POP!!!!!!!!!! throws candy at Shippo's head  
  
Shippo: FOOD FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Chichiri4488: runs from flying food Ja ne guys!  
  
- Reviews are always welcome in my world -**


	18. The Band Competition

**The Social Ladder  
**  
**Shippo: You're a bit late.  
  
Chichiri4488: Summer school is so boring.  
  
Shippo: I said you're a bit late.........  
  
Chichiri4488: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............zzzzzzzzzzz................  
  
Shippo: TT;; oh forget it............  
**  
I couldn't ask him.  
  
I just couldn't ask him.  
  
Of course, I'm the chicken.........  
  
If he said no then that would be great!  
  
But if he said yes......... I don't know what I would do.........  
  
I just couldn't ask Inuyasha if he has cancer.  
  
Valentines Day has even come and gone.  
  
Inuyasha took me to a carnival and out to dinner. The best part, was that he gave a dozen roses and told me that he cared for me.  
  
Yeah, cared for me. I know it's a lot of girl's dreams to sit there and hear their dream guy say "I love you". And we think we love eachother too, at least that's what we said. I know I love him as a friend but for now I care, and care deeply mind you for him as more.  
  
But when I heard him whisper "_I care for you........._" my heart lit up and I felt like no one earth could possibly be as happy as I was.  
  
This is just way to much drama in my life right now...............  
  
I need some more humor. Where's Shippo when you need him?  
  
Right, getting ready for the band competition that's in one hour............  
  
I pulled my car up to the building and parked. This place was packed!  
  
Good thing the bands park in a different area............  
  
I saw Sango and Miroku by the door waving to me. Are they as nervous as I am?  
  
"Hey Kag!" yelled Miroku.  
  
"Yo Miroku!" I yelled back.  
  
"Kagome, don't freak out when I found out who's here," said Sango.  
  
"And keep Inuyasha from killing him please?" asked Miroku.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked.  
  
"Kouga is in the band competition."  
  
"WHAT!?"

**-------------------**

"WHAT!?"  
  
I heard chorus down the hall.  
  
Apparently Inuyasha felt the same way I did.  
  
"What do you mean I can't kill him?"  
  
I opened the door. Inori was on the couch looking at Inuyasha as he stood pacing angrily.  
  
"If you kill someone you will be disqualified, not to mention go to jail," said Inori.  
  
"Can I beat him up then?"  
  
"Still disqualified."  
  
"Poison him?"  
  
"That would be killing."  
  
"Ruin his music?"  
  
"Still disqualified."  
  
"Can I take my anger out on his instruments?"  
  
"Still disqualified."  
  
"Can I do anything?!"  
  
"You can watch them perform and scowl at them."  
  
"Good enough."  
  
"Hey guys," I said.  
  
"Hey Kag," Inuyasha grins. I shut the door.  
  
"Hey, Inori......... can I ask you when-"  
  
"I found out I had cancer?"  
  
I looked at her quizzically. "Do you read minds or something?"  
  
"Sometimes. But Sessh told me that he told you guys."  
  
"Right......... well when?"  
  
"When I was about Inuyasha's age," she said quietly. Inuyasha looked up quickly. His face didn't show any emotion. "I have to go set up some stuff, but I'll be back before you guys go on," she said leaving.  
  
When the door shut I looked up at Inuyasha. My eyes instantly met his.  
  
"What's wrong Kagome?" he almost whispered.  
  
"I'm scared........." My eyes shut to stop any tears that might come forth.  
  
I hear him leave his chair, his footsteps across the carpet are almost silent and his arms hold me tight.  
  
"What are you scared of?"  
  
".........I .........don't want to loose you," I whisper.  
  
"You won't," he said.  
  
"But there's a chance that you'll get cancer Inuyasha!" I yell ripping away from him. "I don't want to loose you! Not to cancer! Not to anything!"  
  
"Kag, there's always a _chance_. But there's also the chance that I wont get it."  
  
"But the......... the-"  
  
"Mutation?" he asked.  
  
"I don't want to call it that........."  
  
"The ears then?" he smiled.  
  
"Yeah........."  
  
"They have given me the chance of getting cancer, yes. But would you really want to get rid of them?"  
  
"No," I said petting the ears. "They're too cute."  
  
"Cute?" he grimaces. "How about manyly, or handsome?"  
  
"No, sorry. Still cute, and fuzzy if you prefer."  
  
"I think you're killing my pride here Kag."  
  
"Inuyasha, nothing, I repeat, nothing can kill your pride." 

**-------------**

We all sat in this room.  
  
Miroku and Sango on one couch, Inuyasha and I on the other. Shippo was in an armchair.  
  
We were all nervous. And Shippo get hyper when he's nervous.  
  
"Please give me some sugar!?" begged Shippo.  
  
"No!" we yelled.  
  
"Please!? I think it'll calm me down, really!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"WHY!?"  
  
"Cause then you'll play faster than the rest of us and we'll loose the competition!" yelled Inuyasha.  
  
"I want sugar!"  
  
And for the strangest most random thing in the universe, a guy who loads the vending machine walks by. And a candy bar just happens to fall off by the door.  
  
And of course, Shippo see's it. And he's closest to the door.  
  
"Shippo......... don't do it Shippo........." says Miroku. We're all standing up slowly as Shippo eyes the candy from his armchair. "No sudden movements guys, he could spring or attack at any time."  
  
Sango elbows him. "You idiot it's our friend not a nature documentary!"  
  
Shippo turns to us and smiles. An oh so evil smile with the evil glint in his eye. His legs move so he can jump over the chair for the candy bar............  
  
"GRAB HIM NOW!!!" yells Inuyasha.  
  
We all pounce right when he does.  
  
I've got a hold on his ankle, Inuyasha is next to me and Miroku on the other side. Sango is laying across all three of us and we're tangled.  
  
"I've got him!" I yell.  
  
"Don't let go!" they yell.  
  
Well duh.........  
  
"NO!!!!!!!! You are the spawn of evil!!!!!! The sugar, just so close!! My fingers can almost touch the sugary goodness!"  
  
"We're getting you to a psychiatrist Shippo," said Miroku.  
  
"No!!!!!!!! It's right there, SO CLOSE!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
And the vendor just happens to walk back because of all the noise and retrieve the candy bar. And walk away again.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

**-------------**

I hate to say it, but Kouga's band is pretty good. I think we have some real competition.........  
  
We got some really high scores from the 5 judges. All in the 9s area and one 10. No other band has made it as close as we did, except one. But their final score was a 7. Their ending kinda stunk while the rest of the song was really good.  
  
But Kouga was doing good.  
  
I could tell it was going to be close.  
  
Very close. Inuyasha's hand tightened it's grasp on my own hand. I squeezed back to let him know it was ok.  
  
"Shippo, can you see the scores?" I asked.  
  
"I would if Miroku would move his FAT HEAD!"  
  
"I do not have a fat head thank you very much!"  
  
"Do too."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do t-"  
  
"Miroku, you're the tallest, what are the scores?" I asked.  
  
"Well I'd tell you but that guy over there wont move his fat head."  
  
"I give up."  
  
The announcer came on stage. "Well we've had some awesome bands out here tonight! And we'd like to thank everyone for showing up as well as our sponsors of Squaresoft and Pepsi!"  
  
"Pepsi?" asked Shippo.  
  
"Squaresoft funded this?" asked Miroku. "But they make videogames!"  
  
"Who cares!" I whisper.  
  
"And we're happy to say that the judges have our winners! And let me tell you, it was a close one!"  
  
My instinct proved true............ it was close.  
  
"And the winner is............Kouga's Wolves!"  
  
**Chichiri4488: Wow, I honestly didn't think I would even make it this long. But I doubt you guys are complaingin. Except maybe for the ending of course. ;;;;;  
  
Shippo: Is it over yet?  
  
Chichiri4488: Almost cries. Yes people, Social Ladder will be ending soon. Probably in a few more chapters and an epilougue.  
  
Shippo: dancing yes yes yes!!!!!!!  
  
Chichiri4488: But I have other story ideas that I will be writing and posting, so keep a lookout for other stories by me!  
  
Shippo: ;; no no no...............  
  
Chichiri4488: Review responses............  
  
Thank you to for reviewing!!!!!!!!!!!! HAVE COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Reviews are always welcome in my world **


	19. Yes yes yes!

**The Social Ladder**

**_"I didn't you could even be this late," Shippo stated._**

**_"I'M SORRY! And I really am."_**

**_"Right………"_**

**_"And I also apologize but there's a slight writer's block for this chapter. Beware readers, the end is coming."_**

"And the Winner is………… Kouga's Wolves!" yelled the announcer.

Is this torture? Kouga won? I must be hearing things.

The crowd roared and cheered all around us. I clapped hands light in respect for them. I won't lie; they were _really_ good at their music.

We walked to wards the back rooms reserved the bands and packed up our instruments.

We all walked into Inuyasha's house quietly. Miroku and Inuyasha were carrying Shippo in since he fell asleep. When Shippo falls asleep** nothing **wakes him up.

Sango and I went into the living room to sit on the couch. Miroku and Inuyasha just let Shippo drop onto the beige carpet.

"Come on guys, 10 more minutes," he said trying to curl up into the carpet.

"Shippo, we just lost the competition, aren't you even a little, teensy, weensy bit upset?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm a little upset that we lost, but that's life. We're not going to win every thing even if we are pretty good. It's not like our lives are being written by some weirdo publishing online."

"You are wise beyond your years Shippo," said Shippo.

I was kind of sad at the whole situation. But Shippo had a good point.

"And the moral of the story is life's not fair," said Sango.

"See, she gets it," said Shippo. She smiled.

"So does anyone want to watch a movie?" asked Inuyasha.

Suddenly we heard the door slam. Sesshomaru came running in, a huge smile on his face. His arm reached and grabbed Sango and began to dance with her. We all watched with perplexed eyes.

"She said yes," he said. "She said yes!"

Sango was barely keeping up as they twirled around the room. Miroku seemed to be the most confounded of us all.

Sesshomaru put Sango down back in her seat and went to Inuyasha.

"There's no way I'm dancing with you Sessh," he said holding up his hands like a barrier.

Sesshomaru touched foreheads with him and stared him straight in the eyes, still smiling.

"She said yes," he said quietly.

"Who said yes to what!?" yelled Inuyasha.

"Inori is who, and marriage is what."

Inuyasha's eyes widened 10 times in size.

"Are you serious?"

"Yup."

"Really, sh did?"

"She did."

"You must be kidding!"

"Nope. No jokes."

"I can't believe this!"

"Believe it little brother, you are going to have a sister-in-law."

"When's the wedding?" I questioned.

"Don't know yet," Sesshomaru replied.

"What do you know about it?" asked Sango.

Sesshomaru sat down on the couch and thought about it briefly.

"I know she said yes," he said.

I slapped my forehead in slight frustration. Oh well, they've got the time to figure it all out.

"Congratulations Sesshomaru," I said.

"Yeah congrats!" said Shippo.

"Three cheers for Sesshomaru!" yelled Miroku.

"Hip hip hurray! Hip hip hurray! Hip hip hurray!" we chorused.

"Shall we watch that movie then?" asked Sango.

"Yeah, but what do you want to watch?" asked Inuyasha.

"How about Endless Waltz?" asked Miroku.

"Sounds good to me. Or we could watch Star Wars in Japanese. I got the trilogy on DVD for Christmas," said Inuyasha.

"Despite my love for Gundam Wing, you have convinced me Inuyasha. Star Wars it is!"

We had made it about halfway through the first movie, before Sango conked out on the couch.

"Sango's got the right idea," muttered Shippo before yawning.

"I'll take her home," said Miroku. He leaned down and picked her up bridal style. "See ya later guys."

"No!" Shippo latched onto his leg. "Please take me with you; if I stay here any longer I'll fall asleep."

"Are we supposed to take that as a compliment or an insult here Shippo?" I asked.

"I love you guys," he said sheepishly.

"Yeah, yeah get out of here," said Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru stood up and stretched at the end of the movie. He gave a yawn before turning to Inuyasha.

"Don't forget about the doctor's appointment tomorrow," he said. You have to have blood tests and stuff, so don't eat in the morning."

"I won't," called Inuyasha as Sesshomaru exited the room still stretching.

"Tests?" I questioned.

"It's the whole ear thing," said Inuyasha. "It's to make sure I'm still healthy, cancer free and that I won't die in a week. It's stupid cause I'm one-hundred percent healthy every time anyway."

"Don't say that, you might get something someday and doctors like Sessh can help stay healthy just in case."

"You're right," said Inuyasha. "I just don't like seeing the doctor." He kissed me on the cheek. "Should I drive you home?"

"I drove you here remember?"

"Oh yeah."

He walked me to the door and kissed me again only on the lips briefly.

"Good night Kag," he said softly.

"Night Yasha."

**_"I almost hated writing that."_**

**_"Huh?" said Shippo._**

**_"It was kinda forced because of writer's block. I know the ending and epilogue, but I don't what to do for the next few months. If any reviewers have suggestions, feel free to instant message, email or leave it in the review. Or if you want do one of those just to chat. Super Ceech and I chat when we're both on. By the way SC did I win?_**

**_Thank you for the reviews! Thanks to Song-Obsessed1, KagInuLove, Shinobi-chan, Priestess of Nottingham, shira-chan, Super Ceech, Communist Penguin, Maggie, Gothic Kag, inu'sgirl67, Kit Aurora, anime-wuver-016, ElliRenChanSan, Nyehaan, inuchick06, bebop-miroku, Dru, Mr./Ms/Mrsnone, Secret-punk-rocker16, Sangi, Inu the Stampede, and nekomikoyasha!_**

**_Maggie – I have 2 other stories, one complete and the other is still going but I will be re-writing it. Evil mutant puppies? Are they playful? Have a cookie._**

**_Secret-punk-rocker16 – band name? uhh… John law and the mississppi bubble. Actually that's European history, but it would be a cool band name._**

**_nekomikoyasha - I get a bag of cookies for updating? I like bribes! grins I just hope Shippo doesn't eat it._**

**_You know the drill, everybody gets cookies!!_**

**_Many of you are curious, does Inuyasha have cancer? grins maybe! Maybe not! And since everyone seems to like Shippo on sugar highs, I'll have to add some more of that._**

**_Oh, I now have a deviant-art account, so if you want to check it It'll be the URL for homepage on my profile. My email and instant messenger are on there as well if you need it. See ya next time guys."_**

**_"Bye bye!" yells Shippo._**

**_"Stop eating my cookies Shippo!"_**


End file.
